Encyclopedia of Death and the Human Experience

From “abortion” to “zombies,” this two-volume encyclopedia contains some 330 entries that provide an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural exploration of death, dying, and death related behavior, encompassing the causes of death and the nature of the actions and emotions surrounding death among the living. Editors Bryant (sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State U.) and Peck (sociology, U. of Alabama) developed their thanatology encyclopedia around the following categories: conceptualization of death, dying, and the human experience; arts, media, and popular culture; causes of death; coping with loss and grief; cross-cultural perspectives; developmental and demographic perspectives; disposition of the deceased; funerals and death-related activities; legal matters; mass death; process of dying; religion; rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations; suicide, euthanasia, and homicide; theories and concepts; and unworldly entities and events. A few examples of specific topics include alcohol use and death, ambiguous loss and unresolved grief, ancient Egyptian beliefs and traditions, assassination, body disposition, brain death, burial at sea, commodification of death, Confucian beliefs and traditions, death care industry, death-related music, eschatology, Frankenstein, Hindu beliefs and traditions, kamikaze pilots, life expectancy, Memorial Day, orphans, race and death, school shootings, survivor guilt, taxidermy, Valhalla, wakes and visitation, and widows and widowers. Each entry includes cross-references and guides to further reading.