Ch. 2 - societal changes that impact funeral service

Structural changes to society and social life over the past few hundred years has resulted in part through what five things?

1. Industrialization

2. Urbanization

3. Bureaucratization

4. Greater life expectancy

Industrialization

The process by which society transforms from a primary agricultural adaptive strategy (economy) to the manufacturing of goods and services through advanced technical enterprises

When did industrialization take place?

18th and 19th centuries

Division of labor

One consequence of industrialization is a more complex division of labor in the manner in which goods are produced.

What are industrial societies characterized by?

a complex division of labor and highly specialized roles.

Growth of the Middle class

Consequences of industrialization

Mass production and higher wages provided greater accessibility and leverage for families to purchase factory built items

Leisure

Consequences of industrialization

Machines and technology means that people can work smarter, not harder and that leaves more time for leisure activity.

Having more time for travel increases the chances someone could die away from home.

Post industrialization

A type of adaptive strategy (economy) that is based on high technologies (computers) and information rather than the production of goods.

Countries dominated by a ________ economy are also characterized by the exploration of info, knowledge and high tech goods.

Post industrial economy

Urbanization

Living patterns that reflect a high density of people in a relatively bounded space

The effect of urbanization on funeral service

1. More likely to see death as something that happens to others

2. Funeral director less likely to know the person who died.

3. Attendance at funerals in urban areas is generally less

7 bureaucracies in funeral service

Death certificates

Burial transit permits

Legal documents

EPA

OSHA

FTC

ADA

Social anonymity

People that are relatively unknown to the larger community.

The personalized, individualized ritual for the deceased is the last attempt on part of the decedent to do what?

Decry the anonymity of urban living.

Max weber

One of the first scholars to write about the growth of bureaucracies and detail its social arrangements

Beauracracy

A method of administrative system governing any large instructions, be it public or private

The increase in life expectance is a result of improvements in:

Technology

Medicine

Public administration

Increased safety awareness

Less environmental pollution

What are the affects of living longer?

Diminishing financial resources

Smaller circle of friends and family

Potentially less money avaliable to spend on funeral expenses

Structural changes to society, how people grieve and how funeral directors serve their communities has resulted in part through what?

Industrialization, urbanization, bureaucratization. Social institution and greater life expectancy