Focusing on the sociological, anthropological, and historical perspectives of death, this book examines contemporary experiences of grief and mourning. It serves as both an introductory resource and a significant contribution to death studies and social theory, blending theoretical insights with original research. Aimed at students, scholars, and healthcare practitioners, it provides a comprehensive overview of the complexities surrounding death, dying, and bereavement in today's society.
The book stands out for its engaging readability and the inclusion of case studies, such as Whyte's Street Corner Society, which enrich the discussion of qualitative research. It features quotes from significant methodological texts that encompass various qualitative traditions, enhancing its depth. Additionally, philosophical arguments are woven throughout, elevating the discourse and providing valuable insights for both novices and experienced readers interested in qualitative theory.
In this fully revised and expanded edition of the best-selling Researching Society and Culture, the acknowledged strengths of the first edition have been retained while a range of additional features have been included:- New chapters on audio recordings, the Internet, visual materials, focus groups, grounded theory, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, using data archives for statistical analysis, doing a dissertation, ethics, doing a literature review and more- A section on case studies- Comprehensive bullet points and text boxes to facilitate study- A glossary of key terms- Web pointers in most chapters, to indicate relevant Internet resources- An associated web site with regularly updated live links to pointers, workshop and discussion exercises- Guides to further reading- A list of key concepts at the end of each chapter