Women's Suicides and Mass Murder in Qajar Era: A Durkheimian Analysis

• In Event: Macro and Micro Perspectives on Suicide

Abstract

This study delves into the tragic aftermath of a 19th-century Iranian ruler's rise to power from 1833 to 1836, focusing on the suicides of approximately 80 to 100 women in a specific fortress and the mass murder of local forces, based on Emile Durkheim's sociological insights.This qualitative investigation, grounded in directed content analysis, draws from interviews with descendants of the deceased women and residents from the affected locales, conducted between 2020 and 2022. It comprehensively identifies various factors—ranging from deep-seated societal norms and cultural mandates to political instability and foreign interventions—that contributed to these tragedies. By integrating these events with Durkheim's suicide classifications, the study sheds light on how ineffective governance, societal turmoil, and efforts to maintain cultural and personal integrity amidst external challenges led to widespread despair. The findings emphasize the intricate relationship between personal autonomy and wider socio-political influences, deepening insights into the societal roots of suicide and collective violence.The study highlights factors like social unity, cultural loyalty, political and social anomie, the effects of poor leadership, and local resistance to authority.This examination sheds light on the causes of these tragedies and encourages reflection on how cultural and political dynamics affect collective resilience and individual distress.

Author

• Vahid Jadidi, George Mason University