| Skip Navigation | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sociology DepartmentSociology 332 Course DescriptionSociology 332/Gerontology 332: Death and American Culture Instructor: Dr. Kathy Charmaz Class Hours: MW 10-11:50 Class Location: Salazar 2021 How does American (U.S.) culture shape our thoughts, feelings, and actions toward death? In which ways can sociological theories and perspective deepen our understanding of death, dying, and bereavement? This course applies sociological and social psychological perspectives to death, grief, and loss. We will explore how death and dying affects our lives and how American culture shapes the face of death. Through studying people who confront death, we learn about American culture and, moreover, about living. We will also look at how American culture fosters death as well as the ways our culture promotes individual risk-taking, collective risks, and mass destruction. Sectors of our population remain at risk due to malnutrition, homelessness, environmental hazards, and inadequate medical care. American culture also reaches throughout the world and shapes the face of death through war, politics, and consumer and corporate practices. The course will have a comparative component. We will compare the research and perspectives provided by the international authors with death, dying, and grief in the United States . Although this class consists of lectures and discussion, student attendance, preparation, and participation are crucial. Occasionally, sessions will be devoted to speakers, films, and small group discussions. You will have some options for written assignments. REQUIRED BOOKS Lemming, Michael and Dickinson, George E., Annual Editions: Dying, Death, and Bereavement 05/06, 8th Edition Seale, Clive, Constructing Death: The Sociology of Dying and Bereavement , Cambridge University Press Webb, Marilyn, The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life Hockey, Jennifer Lorna, Katz, Jeanne, Small, Neil, and Hockey, Jenny (eds.), Grief, Mourning and Death Rituals Lewis, C.S., A Grief Observed RECOMMENDED BOOKS Riches, Gordon and Dawson, Pam, An Intimate Loneliness: Supporting Bereaved Parents and Siblings Albom, Mitch, Tuesdays with Morrie Tolstoy, Leo, The Death of Ivan Illich |
| ||||||||