Dying and anti-dying: a social taxonomy at the end-of-life

ABSTRACT

This theoretical paper describes a classification with accompanying analysis of the main forms of social conduct at the end of life that goes beyond our usual understanding of sociological characterisations of dying. A taxonomy of end-of-life conduct is presented that illustrates and categorises past and contemporary sociological studies of end-of-life conduct and experiences. The categories include embodiment-led dying, systems-led dying, criticism-led dying, endangerment, and anti-dying. Discussion of this spectrum of behaviour is compared with current research and theory in the sociology of dying resulting in critical observations about limitations and omissions in the current work of this field. The paper ends with identification of theoretical limitations before discussing implications for future theory, research, and policy development for the sociology of dying and for end-of-life studies more generally.

KEYWORDS:

• Dying
• end-of-life care
• medicalisation
• social diversity
• theory

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Allan Kellehear

Allan Kellehear is a medical and public health sociologist and currently a Clinical Professor jointly appointed to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and The Robert Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, USA. He has worked as a full professor in Australia, Japan, the UK, and the USA. He works across two related areas – the study of dying, and the development of public health models for its care. He is recently the author of Visitors at the End of Life (2020) and co-editor (with Julian Abel) of the Oxford Textbook of Public Health Palliative Care (2022). His research and writing were recently featured in a special article published by Samantha Hooker in Mortality (2022). Allan is an elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.