Science Question

Post ID: 3027566

Overview

The purpose of this fourth “Death Discovery” assignment is to engage your social science observation skills and apply them to different kinds of death spaces, especially those related to end-of-life matters and decisions. You might even engage with the death care industry. It is also a chance for you to practice death positivity by engaging in dialogues about death and dying.

It is important that you follow the writing guidelines for this assignment. Please type your responses to the questions in complete sentences with 12 point font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, edited for grammar and spelling, and have your name in the upper left corner of the first page. Feel free to number the steps but do not write your answers in bullet form.

Make sure to upload your Death Discovery as either a WORD or PDF document. "PAGES" or "RTF" documents are unacceptable as Canvas cannot open them. If we cannot open your file, you will not receive credit. Make sure to turn in your assignment here on Canvas Discussion Section site.

STEP ONE: Choose a Death Space

Choose a physical space related to death, dying, bereavement, end-of-life matters or death decisions that you wish to further explore. Possible field sites include: medical examiner’s office (morgue), animal/pet cemetery, cancer treatment center, hospice, palliative care center, cemetery, funeral home/director, monument maker, cemetery custodian, agency dealing with death or dying, alternative funeral service/company, Cypress College’s mortuary science program, Los Angeles Museum of Death.

Visit the death space and spend about 45-60 minutes exploring it. While you explore, take notes on what you see, how you feel, what insights arise, and how the space relates to our class. Next, find at least ONE living person with whom to have a conversation. Perhaps the talk lasts a few minutes, or maybe even longer. In having the discussion, pay attention to what topics arise, what questions you ask, what questions may be asked of you, and the overall tone of the conversation. Take some notes so you can remember the particulars of both the space and conversation when you return home.

STEP TWO: Discuss Your Findings

When you return from exploring the death space, type your responses to the following questions. Papers should be at least 5-7 pages in total (make sure to follow the formatting guidelines of the assignment).

Describe in detail the "death space" you explored. Specifically, where is it, when did you go, what are the details of the site, and why did you choose that particular space? What appealed to you about the space, what did you enjoy about it and what, if anything, did you find difficult about it? This description should be about a page.
How does the "death space" you chose to explore fit within the U.S. death system (Kastenbaum)? What is its role and contribution to it and how does it involve what happens between people?
Who is the person you had your "living conversation" with? What did you discuss, what insights did you share, what questions did you ask, what questions were asked of you, and what was the tone of the conversation? Did you talk to more than one person? Were they employees, volunteers, clients, patients, or fellow attendees? What did you discuss?
How does the death space relate end-of-life matters and decisions people need to make? What kinds of "matters" are a part of the death space you explored? What kinds of "decisions" are a part of the death space you explored? Who needs to make those decisions? When do they need to be made?
If you were to summarize your experience exploring the death space in two sentences or less, what would you say? In other words, what is the take home message of your exploration?

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As a reminder, it is important that you follow the writing guidelines for this assignment. Please type your responses to these questions in complete sentences with 12 point font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, edited for grammar and spelling, and have your name in the upper left corner of the first page. Feel free to number the steps but do not write your answers in bullet form.