The Culture of Death and Dying in Historical and Anthropological Perspective

2024/2025

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered by:

Department of History

Type:

Elective course

When:

2 year, 2 module

Instructor

Masagutova, Maria

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This introductory course into the area of Death Studies is aimed to demonstrate the variety in approaches and attitude towards the biologically unchangeable and ever-present phenomenon of death, focusing on its specificity in Modern and contemporary history. The factors that contribute to a construction of a certain perception of death in different societies are reflection of these societies’ values and challenges. Brought into the focus of the scholarly interest by Philippe Aries, death remains a developing field of studies in History and Anthropology. Alongside the classical works the course will address different aspects of death and dying outlining the contemporary research in the area. Structurally the course will be divided into the topics reflecting particular issues connected with death and dying, moving from such as religious and ritualistic sides of dying and issues of medicalisation, towards the contemporary questions of new technologies of burial and the specificity of commemoration in the digital era. Special attention will be paid to the Russian context of death and dying, enabling to build the connections between the Russian experience and a broader historical context.

Learning Objectives

• Understanding of the diversity and cultural flexibility of perceptions of death and dying
• Introduction into classical and contemporary theories in Death Studies
• Training in conference-style discussion

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Understands the variety in approaches and historic dynamics in perception of death
• Understands the impact of particular cultural and historical contexts
• A student is familiar with the general development of the field of Death Studies
• Improves skills of conference-style discussion.
• Has the ability to identify which contexts are crucial in shaping the particular social phenomena
• Understands the influence of contemporary technologies on the funeral and memorial practices

Course Contents

• 1. Introduction. Grief as a Cultural Phenomenon
• 2. “Good” and “Bad” “Death
• 3. Death and Ritual
• 4. Funeral Industry and Memory Practices
• 5. Medicalisation of Death
• 6. Death in Popular Culture
• 7. Contemporary Attitudes Towards Death

Assessment Elements

• Activity
• Abstract
  Короткое описание Вашего будущего эссе: выбранная тема, исследовательский вопрос, планируемые источники исследования
• Эссе
• Презентация темы эссе
  Краткая 10-15 минут презентация Вашего (готового или почти готового) эссе, обсуждение, ответы на вопросы аудитории и преподавателя. Это - возможность обсудить Вашу работу и внести финальные правки после обсуждения в соответствии с рекомендациями преподавателя и коллег. Оценивается также и вклад в дискуссию.

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 2nd module
  0.1 * Abstract + 0.3 * Activity + 0.2 * Презентация темы эссе + 0.4 * Эссе

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Cerezo-Román, J., Wessman, A., & Williams, H. (2017). Cremation and the Archaeology of Death. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1500519
• Crime fiction since 1800 : detection, death, deversity, Knight, S., 2010
• Livne, R. (2014). Death interrupted: Contemporary economies of death and dying. Economic Sociology_the European Electronic Newsletter, 1, 31.
• Marilyn Webb. (1999). The Good Death : The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life: Vol. Bantam trade ed. Bantam.
• Philippe Aries. (2013). The Hour of Our Death: Vol. Unabridged. Vintage.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Death, the dead and popular culture, Penfold-Mounce, R., 2018
• Geertz, C. (DE-588)118965182, (DE-576)161077250. (1973). The interpretation of cultures : selected essays / by Clifford Geertz. New York, NY: Basic Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.004027388
• Врачи, пациенты, читатели : патогр. тексты рус. культуры XVIII - XIX в., Богданов, К. А., 2005
• Смерть, ритуал и вера: риторика погребальных обрядов, Дэвис, Д., 2022

Authors

• LYUBAVINA SVETLANA VYACHESLAVOVNA
• Masagutova Mariia Rustemovna