Death and Dying: A Sociological Perspective

These flashcards cover key concepts and arguments related to death and dying from various sociological perspectives, focusing on institutional, cultural, and medical influences.

What is the central thesis of Timmermans' concept of 'death brokering'?

Medical professionals actively manage and shape the meaning of death in culturally and socially acceptable ways.

What does 'death brokering' refer to?

The act of rendering individual deaths socially and culturally meaningful.

How does the cultural authority of medicine influence the management of death?

Medicine remains dominant in managing death because it provides hope for a more meaningful or better death.

What is 'self-fulfilling logic' in the context of death brokering?

Medicine creates ambiguity around death and then offers to resolve it, reinforcing its authority.

Describe 'death without dying'.

A situation where patients are unaware they are dying due to lack of communication, often framed as 'peaceful' by staff.

What characterizes a 'good death' in hospice ideology?

Pain control, spiritual/psychological preparation, and acceptance of death.

What is a 'dignified death' associated with?

Physician-assisted suicide, where autonomy and control in dying are emphasized.

What challenges do movements like hospice and right-to-die present to medical authority?

These movements challenge over-medicalization but are absorbed and medicalized themselves.

In what context does forensic death brokering apply?

When death is sudden, violent, or suspicious, and requires expert determination of cause.

What were the key themes in Anspach's study about end-of-life decisions in NICUs?

Prognostic conflict based on healthcare roles and the ecology of knowledge within medical hierarchies.

What does the term 'bare life' refer to in Agamben's theory?

Life that can be killed but not sacrificed, highlighting how individuals can be excluded from protections of law.

How does Lock's research connect death definitions to social and cultural contexts?

Death is not biologically universal but is shaped by cultural beliefs, institutional needs, and legal systems.

What challenges does Kaufman identify in end-of-life decision-making?

The institutionalization and bureaucratization of death that complicates personal and ethical choices.

How do Arney and Bergen's arguments expand the concept of medical authority?

Medicine now manages not just illness but all aspects of life, including dying, creating a social control dynamic.

What is the significance of 'producing assent' in healthcare decisions?

The process by which healthcare professionals frame decisions to secure agreement from families.

What ethical concerns arise from 'pseudo-choice' in medical decision-making?

Choices are often constrained by medical authority and institutional practices, limiting true agency.

How does Dworkin's argument about precedent autonomy apply to patients with dementia?

Past wishes should be respected over current contentment, as autonomy is about life integrity.

What role do emotions and language play in healthcare decisions at the end of life?

Language can shape acceptance and frame decisions in ways that support outcomes perceived as morally right.

What does Broom argue about the social context of dying?

Dying is co-produced by family, healthcare professionals, and cultural narratives, rather than a purely individual experience.