Content Warning: We are going to engage in discussions about suicide that might be potentially upsetting for some of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ABOUT THE TALK
With youth suicide rates rising globally, including in India, this talk explores the culturally rooted risk factor of “fear of social death” and its impact on young people\u2019s sense of not belonging. Drawing on perspectives from young people with lived experiences and insights from healthcare providers, family members, and community elders, this talk\u2014rooted in social and cultural psychology\u2014examines how violations of social norms, such as inter-caste or inter-ethnic marriages, can drive suicidal distress. Through this talk, Dr Varnica hopes to spark a broader conversation about the diverse ways social death\u2014experiences of being shunned, marginalized, or excluded\u2014manifests across contexts, whether online, within family, culture, or in academic settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dr Varnica Arora\u2019s research broadly lies at the intersection of culture, inequality and suicide. Trained in critical and social psychology, Arora’s dissertation takes an intersectional and cultural approach to understanding youth experiences following suicidal behaviors in rural India, with a focus on the culturally specific concept of “fear of social death.”
Prior to joining Stonehill, Varnica taught courses in Social Psychology and Psychology and Social Media at City College of New York and Macalester College. She also previously served as a fellow at the Teaching and Learning Center at City University of New York’s Graduate Center, leading the Pedagogy-in-Practice program, which supports graduate students transitioning into their roles as instructors.
Varnica\u2019s work has been recognized by prestigious grants from the American Association of University Women, J.N. Tata Endowment Grant, International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics. Before beginning her doctoral research, Varnica worked as a community organizer with women\u2019s collectives in central India, an experience that informs her commitment to community-engaged research and culturally responsive suicide prevention practices<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This talk is being organised in the backdrop of World Mental Health Day 2025 This talk is mandatory for students of PSYC 437: An Introduction to Theories in Counselling and PSYC434\/SOCL434: Critical Disability and Inclusion Studies. This talk is recommended for PSYC 334: Introduction to Clinical Psychology<\/p>\n\n\n\n