Liveable and unliveable lives: Suicide and the state WP4 centres the roles of policy, politics and the state in shaping conditions for – and responses to – (un)liveability. Our team are analysing how governments and NGOs create different representations of and stories about (un)liveability in relation to suicide prevention. By looking more closely at the interaction of policy, politics, state and global NGO practices, WP4 will shed light on the ways that the lives of different groups and populations are made more or less liveable by a range of policies and decisions and will engage in knowledge sharing with a range of effected communities. Overall, WP4 will grow our understanding about how wider government policies and practices shape responses to suicide and liveability, and how global NGOs contribute to the politics of suicide prevention and (un)liveability. Work Package 4 team members:Alex Oaten, LeadAmy Chandler, Co-leadTom Wadsworth, Research Fellow Read about WP4 team members Research Questions How far and in what ways is liveability present in government and global NGO policies? How and to what extent do wider government policies and political discourses construct and respond to hierarchies of liveable lives? In what ways are the lives and deaths by suicide of some groups politicised or depoliticised through political discourse and policy regimes? Research Activities Extended critical policy analysis: Researchers will analyse UK suicide prevention policies, WHO suicide prevention documents and broader policy areas, examining how far liveability is present within a national and global policy context. Expert interviews: Researchers will conduct 30 interviews with policy makers and NGO staff involved in suicide prevention policies Qualitative analysis of parliamentary debates: Building on previous work from the Suicide In/As Politics project, researchers will analyse publicly available data from parliamentary databases (Westminster, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) from 2009 up until 2023, paying close attention to how notions of un/liveability are present and contested; and how different populations are constructed. Writing, analysis and policy and public engagement workshops: Researchers will analyse findings from their research and host collaborative events with key stakeholders focused on policy. Updates & Events This article was published on 2026-01-30
