This book explains phenomenon of suicide based on ethnographic research which was conducted at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. It discusses those social situations in which the event of suicide takes place and highlights all those factors which makes suicide the only refuge for a person. It discusses how socio- economic factors including age and marital status affect ratio of suicide. It explains various methods used for committing suicide. It also elucidate whether suicide is an individual's act or a social issue. It also discusses how suicide is perceived by the community and the organizational response towards suicide cases.

Gold is highly valued object not only for its economic worth & being unit of investment but also for its socio-aesthetical reasons. The main theme of this book deals with different aspects of gold jewellery in connections with various socio-religious dimensions. This anthropological study has been conducted in the famous Gold Market known as 'Sarafa Bazar' located in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan.It discusses how the use of gold jewellery turns into a social phenomenon and becomes a part of society, religion and aesthetics.It presents an anthropological account of the entire process of skill acquisition of gold craftsmen, the motifs and designs of jewellery, the aesthetic value attached to them and above all what makes it illumination of one's social class, rank and status. In short, this book illustrates how material objects become meaningful in our social life and find their place in culture.

Discussion related to sex and reproduction is somehow considered taboo subject for women living in traditional cultures. Reproductive Health is a neglected issue among majority of rural women. This book draws its data from ethnographic study conducted in village Burhan, District Attock, Pakistan. The principal objective of the study was to explore socio-cultural context in which process of reproduction takes place. Key research questions which this study tries to answer include how women complete different stages of reproductive cycle (Pregnancy, Delivery and Confinement), their right to decide the number and spacing of children, their consent for marriage and equality in Marriage, nature of spousal communication on fertility related issues, access and information related to appropriate family planning services and their right to safe abortion and post abortion care. The findings of this study suggest strengthening of socio-economic status of women in order to give them a sense of belonging, responsibility and role in contributing towards the development of the society as a whole.

Fertility Behaviour of Rural Women in Pakistan illustrates an anthropological perspective of all social and cultural factors which affect the ideas, attitudes and beliefs of rural women that underpin their fertility behaviour and eventually the process of fertility decline. The principal objective of the research was to explore the relationship between social norms, individual beliefs and fertility. The main argument, which emerged from this study, is that the large family has immense social and cultural significance for variety of reasons related to status, prestige, income and security. This study also highlighted this fact that women subjugated position does not really allow them to effectively participate in the decision making process with regards to fertility regulation because of the social constraints and culturally or traditionally defined norms. Thus, the fertility of a woman is not actually controlled by her; rather the social environment in which she lives.