Deconstructing Death

Book excerpt: Deconstructing Death deals with some of the most recent changes and transformations within the realms of death, dying, bereavement, and care in contemporary Nordic countries. The book deals with some of the major - as well as some of the less conspicuous - changes in the cultural and social engagement with the phenomenon of death. Among the themes touched upon are: organ transplantation, death education, communication with the dead, changes in commemorative rituals, mourning practices on the internet, parental responses to children's suicide, death control, the practice and ethics of end-of-life care, and the lonely death. Deconstructing Death contains contributions written by researchers and practitioners from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, with professional and academic backgrounds within areas such as sociology, anthropology, religious studies, and palliative care.