ABSTRACT

Talking about death is now fashionable, but how should we talk? Who should we listen to - priests, doctors, cousellors, or ourselves? Has psychology replaced religion in telling us how to die? This provocative book takes a sociological look at the revival of interest in death, focusing on the hospice movement and bereavement counselling. It will be required reading for anyone interested in the sociology of death and caring for the dying, the dead or bereaved.

chapter |6 pages

Introduction

part |2 pages

Part I Doing it my way

chapter 1|17 pages

The dying of death

chapter 2|13 pages

The revival of death

chapter 3|8 pages

The two strands of revival

chapter 4|20 pages

Traditional, modern and neo-modern death

part |2 pages

Part II

chapter 5|18 pages

Stories and meta-stories

chapter 6|21 pages

Systems for listening

chapter 7|13 pages

Expectations and assumptions

chapter 9|11 pages

Gaining control, losing control

chapter 10|12 pages

Which person?

chapter 11|12 pages

Routinisation

chapter 12|11 pages

Disposal

chapter 13|16 pages

Conclusion

Facing death without tradition…but in company