Edward Elgar Publishing Silent Pain and Public Policy: Suicide and Social Welfare in the Middle East and North Africa

This groundbreaking book sheds light on the alarming yet often overlooked issue of suicide in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It critically examines the role, limitations, and suicide prevention strategies of existing social welfare systems and uncovers the complex interplay of factors driving suicidal behavior. Providing a comprehensive analysis of the complicated landscape of suicide across the MENA region, the book identifies six main determinants: socioeconomic factors, political instability and conflict, family and social dynamics, religious beliefs and practices, gender disparities, and youth vulnerability. It explores the diverse suicide prevention efforts across stable monarchies, countries facing political and economic upheaval, and societies grappling with war. A clarion call for action, this pioneering book emphasizes the silent crisis of suicide in MENA societies and the urgent need for holistic, evidence-based, and culturally informed public policy agendas to strengthen social support, mental health services, and suicide prevention initiatives. Integrating multidisciplinary perspectives, this book is invaluable for students and scholars of public and social policy, public health, welfare states, middle eastern studies and development studies. Drawing upon sociological, epidemiological, and participatory research methodologies, its policy agenda serves as a roadmap for policymakers, researchers, and mental health professionals committed to suicide prevention worldwide.