ABSTRACT
The introductory chapter will first discuss the importance of understanding death as an important and integral part of human life and of society. Then it will outline the notion of ‘spectacular death’ as well as illustrating and discussing its different conceptual dimensions. Here it will deal specifically with: (1) the new mediation/mediatisation of death, (2) the commercialisation of death, (3) the re-ritualisation of death, (4) the palliative care revolution, and (5) the specialisation of death. Finally, the introduction will outline the overall purpose and structure of the book and delineate the content of each of the chapters.
