Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
SP50156 Funerals, memorials and disposal practices |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: CW 100% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: Funerary rites and cultures largely resist the homogenising processes of globalisation. At the same time, national and local funerary rites and organisation are by no means static. This unit aims to:
* Provide students with a systematic understanding of the main variations in funeral, memorial, and final disposal practices in the contemporary world * Interpret and evaluate critically explanations for these variations * Analyse critically contemporary change in funerary rites and organisation * Provide conceptual interpretations of contemporary debates and policy issues. Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to: * Account for variation and change in funerals, memorials and disposal practices * Analyse and critically evaluate policy issues in the area of burial, cremation and funerals * Demonstrate a conceptual understanding and be able to critically evaluate ethical issues concerning the use of human remains in medicine and in museums. Skills: * Develop skills to reflect critically 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 evaluate critically the strengths and weaknesses of a range of policy 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: 1. Disposal practices in historical and cultural context 2. Anthropological theories of funeral rites 3. Funeral organisation: a comparative perspective 4. Funeral rites: a historical/comparative perspective 5. The body in transit: post-mortems and embalming 6. Burial: cemetery policy, conservation, and re-use 7. Cremation: cross-national variation 8. Spontaneous shrines 9. Permanent memorials 10. Medical use of cadavers and body parts 11. Remains in museums. |