Social Science Literature

Question 1

In this Assignment you will examine the medical model of death and dying as a type of ritual. In order to do this, you will engage in your own independent research, and compare the process of dying in Western societies such as the United States that focus on the medical model to at least one other non-Western society that adopts a nonmedical approach to death and dying.

After engaging in your own independent research, and studying the content from Unit 4, please address the following in a short essay:

1. Describe how the practices associated with the medical model of death and dying in the United States (or another Western society) may be regarded as a type of ritual. (You may want to consult the social science literature that defines “ritual” before you begin.)
2. Compare the ritual of dying in the United States (or another Western society) to another society that does not adopt a strictly medical model for the dying process.
3. Offer a brief commentary on what people in the United States may be able to learn from these nonmedical approaches to dying.

This Assignment should be at least 500 words in length and formatted per APA style requirements. You should cite two outside resources and include a reference and title page.

Question 2

Much of the course addresses human efforts attempting to bring meaning or find meaning in a death. Ultimately, do you think this meaning can be found? Or, must death always be a little bit incomprehensible? What may qualify when this meaning can be found? Please offer multiple cited texts (textbooks/journal or newspaper articles/poems/novels/etc.) to support and illustrate your claims and beliefs. Your final paper should be about 1000 words not counting footnotes or bibliographic information. Find at least 3 reputable sources (non-Wikipedia, preferably academic).