Youth and Suicide in American Cinema

Alessandra Seggi is a Fulbright scholar and an award-winning artist. At Temple University, USA, her research and teaching focus on the intersection of the social sciences and media. She is currently working on an innovative project combining drawings with rhymes and traditional texts to illustrate the key dynamics of social life.

Part I: Theory, Context & Terms of Reference: Youth, Film, Suicide & Media Literacy.- 1. Theory: Theoretical Bricolage .- 2. Context: It's Complicated .- 3. Terms of Reference.- 3.1 Terms of Reference. After Childhood: Teenagehood, Puberty, Adolescence & Youth.- 3.2 Terms of Reference. Film.- 3.3 Terms of Reference. Suicide.- 3.4 Terms of Reference. Self-harm.- 3.5 Terms of Reference. Media Literacy.- Part II: Youth & Suicide in American Cinema.- 4. Rationale & Scope: Film Selection & Sampling.- 4.1 Scope & Criteria for Movie Selection.- 4.2 Details about Film Selection.- 4.3 The Importance of Studying the Representation of Suicide in Youth Films.- 5. Films Depicting Youth & Suicide: Part I.- 6. Films Depicting Youth & Suicide: Part II .- 7. Dilemmas & Dichotomies About Suicide and Youth in Film.- 8. A Foil & a Game Changer: Archie's Final Project.- 8.1 Discussions of Form.- 8.2 Discussions of Content.-  8.3 The Bigger Picture: The Teen Condition & the Human Condition.- 9. A Conundrum, Evolving: 13 Reasons Why.- Part III: A Proactive Approach: Media Literacy Strategy.- 10. Tools of the Trade: Media Influence, Media Guidelines & Media Literacy.- 11. A Proactive Approach: A Media Literacy Strategy With Critical Questions for Engaged Audiences.- 11.1 Suicide in Film: Critical Questions for Engaged Audiences.- 11.2 Questions in Brief.- 11.3 Questions in Depth.- 12. Media Literacy Strategy in Action: Application of Media Literacy Questions to Sample Films .- 12.1 Archie's Final Project: Allure Versus Accuracy in Its Promotional Material.- 12.2 13 ReasonsWhy.- 12.3 Other Films.

"The book is written as an act of service for all unfortified youth, reading like a voice that cuts through static to say, 'I'm here, I'm listening.' To take things up a level, this book is not just a helpful tool for youth but also for anyone who has been affected by suicide. ..." (Kate Brennan, Fulbright Chronicles, Vol. 2 (4), 2024)