Through a combination of textual research and varied artistic practices, Dr Alanna Skuse (English Literature) is sparking important discussions about self-injury and how attitudes towards it have evolved from the Renaissance to the present-day.
From extreme acts of religiosity to manifestations of emotional distress, self-injury has likely always existed. But how have the motivations, cultural attitudes, and representations of the issue changed – or remained the same – compared to those of previous centuries?
In 2022, Dr Skuse collaborated with Reading’s ArtLab to develop and run a series of art workshops aimed at reducing stigma around self-harm through creative expression. Participants created clay models that were then scanned and animated into digital artworks.
Drawing on the textual evidence of self-harm in literature such as Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the workshops aimed to ignite discussion of self-injury as a social phenomenon that has occurred for a multitude of reasons across cultures, challenging prevailing perceptions of the issue.
Following the success of the workshops, Dr Skuse worked with Acta Community Theatre and the charity Self Injury Support Bristol to develop theatre workshops with a group comprising researchers from varied academic fields and individuals with lived experiences of self-injury.
Six months of workshops culminated in two live performances combining theatre, spoken word and visual art, held in July 2024 at the Acta Community Theatre in Bedminster, Bristol. The event explored how attitudes towards self-injury have changed and what needs to change to challenge the stigma.
The material gathered during the workshops has also formed the basis of an exhibition titled I Am Worthy, which was held at Glenside Hospital Museum, Bristol, from May to September, 2025.
Insights from Dr Skuse’s historical research have been helping individuals to contextualise their own experiences with self-harm and to shape new forms of patient engagement for at-risk groups. Participant feedback from the workshops noted that the historical and cultural perspectives helped them better understand their individual experiences and, consequently, made it easier to relate their own stories.
Building on her ongoing study into self-injury and informed by these workshops and performances, Dr Skuse is preparing to publish an academic monograph on the subject.
Published September 2025.