Death & Dying

Death is an elemental aspect of life. It is an inevitable transition yet it seems to remain one stage of the life cycle that causes most discomfort. This course enables students to explore their own life backgrounds as they engage in a critical and exploratory study of ideas and issues surrounding Death and Dying. The course will look at Society's attitudes about death, varied meanings and definitions and their influence on the thoughts and feeling of an individual's capacity to acknowledge and prepare for end of life. Students will study the concept of a Death System as theorized by Robert Kastenbaum. Students will look at issues related to anxiety, acceptance or denial and palliative care. The will allow students to examine causes of death, including illness, traumatic loss and suicide. Students will also examine the critical role of the communicational processes in understanding and relating to dying people.