Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2006/07

SP50146 The social context of death and dying

Credits: 12

Level: Masters

Semester: 1

Assessment: ES100

Requisites:

Aims:
* To provide a comprehensive understanding of the way in which the social sciences and humanities (sociology, anthropology, psychology, social policy, law, history and archaeology) research dying, disposal of the body, funeral and mourning rituals, and afterlife beliefs.
* To provide conceptual understanding of the theories, methods and data commonly used by these disciplines, and the limitations of each.
* To make students aware of a wide range of areas that will assist them to decide their dissertation topic.
* To foster group identity and mutual support among first-year students, and to introduce them to key staff.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit, students will:
* Have a critical awareness of the approaches each discipline uses in the study of death.
* Have a systemic understanding of the types of evidence each discipline uses.
* Be able to critically assess what each discipline has to offer to the understanding of death in society, and critically discuss their limitations.
* Be able to evaluate the potential and challenges of interdisciplinary research.
Skills:

* Develop skills to critically reflect on the suitability of diverse approaches for investigating and analysing problems.
* Systematically synthesise information from a variety of academic perspectives for a relevant understanding of theoretical and practical approaches.
* Appreciate and critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a range of disciplinary approaches.
* Identify and access relevant information sources.
* Communicate complex issues and perspectives effectively.
* Develop skills of time management, workload prioritisation and related planning skills.
* Develop good writing and presentation skills.
Content:
Comparison of the ways in which a range of social science and humanities disciplines study (i) dying, (ii) funeral and disposal rituals and practices and (iii)grief and mourning. Major issues, theories, methodologies and data available within each discipline are presented in each of these areas.
1 Introduction: overview of the major themes of the course and the range and relevance of disciplinary approaches.
DYING
2 History
3 Sociology
4 Law & Social Policy
FUNERAL RITES & DISPOSAL
5 History
6 Archaeology
7 Anthropology/Sociology
8 Law & Social Policy
MOURNING
9 History
10 Sociology
11 Psychology
12 Art

University | Catalogues for 2006/07