Cultural Views of Death and Dying

This course is an in-depth exploration of the general beliefs and practices surrounding death, dying, and grieving in the most common cultures found within the United States. Four main cultures will be explored in detail - American Indians and Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans, Black Americans, and Hispanic Americans. White American culture will explored through the history of Victorian mourning rituals. Emphasis is placed on not only understanding how these different cultures view death, dying, and grieving but also on how cultures can intersect to form distinct individual beliefs and how one can become more sensitive to cultural differences.

This class consists of one 1.5-hour lecture/discussion session.