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Stories of life and death: undertakers' perspectives

Like death, the defining human reality underlying our relationships and views of life's
meaning, the experiences and activities of undertakers, remains an uncommon
subject for psychological research. Existential anxiety roots a society-wide denial of
the fundamental nature of death. which necessitates the development of institutions
to take responsibility for the dying and dead. As the image and service of the
stigmatised funeral industry improves, society's experience of death should become
more meaningful. The overview of the research into these topics noted the need for
further studies.
Within a holistic, ecosystemic epistemology, this study adopted a qualitative
approach and case study method, which provided descriptions of the ecology,
contexts, and relationships characteristic .of the undertaker's vocation by focussing
on patterned expressions of views and attitudes. The aim was to gain insight into
the undertaker's experience of the many faces of death, with a genuine interest and
deep respect for their world. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:umkn-dsp01.int.unisa.ac.za:10500/610
Date25 August 2009
CreatorsNel, Elsie Petronella
ContributorsFourie, David P.
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeDissertation
Format1 online resource (233 leaves)

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