Anthropological and Archaeological Perspectives on Death and Burial

<p>In this course, you will examine how people in different eras and cultures have understood, coped with, and made sense of death. You will explore death both as a biological process and as a central part of human life, culture, and society.</p><p>Drawing on a variety of disciplines, including archaeology, history, cultural anthropology, sociology, law, and medicine, you will analyse how people have confronted death through rituals, mourning, practices of remembrance, and other cultural expressions. You will also examine examples from film, literature, and art to shed light on different perspectives on death and its significance.</p><p>During the course, you will delve into theories about rituals, human behavior, and the body. You will use these perspectives to understand and discuss death and burial rituals from different periods and contexts. At the same time, you will develop a critical approach to the possibilities and limitations that different types of source material present when we seek to understand people’s experiences of death.</p><p>Ethical issues are an important part of the course. You will reflect on research regarding death and on how human remains are handled in fields such as archaeology, museums, and cultural heritage work.</p><p>The course is interdisciplinary and covers topics such as the process of dying, the dead body, grief, rituals, crisis and mass death, assisted dying, suicide, and research ethics. Through these topics, you will gain a broad understanding of how people, in different societies and historical periods, have dealt with one of life’s most fundamental experiences.</p>