The case for a sociology of dying, death, and bereavement

ABSTRACT

Dying, death, and bereavement do not occur in a social vacuum. How individuals and groups experience these phenomena will be largely influenced by the social context in which they occur. To develop an adequate understanding of dying, death, and bereavement we therefore need to incorporate a sociological perspective into our analysis. This article examines why a sociological perspective is necessary and explores various ways in which sociology can be of practical value in both intellectual and professional contexts. A case study comparing psychological and sociological perspectives is offered by way of illustration.

Acknowledgments

The authors are members of the International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement Sociology Subgroup, and express their thanks to the other members of the subgroup for their input into the discussions that led to this article.