ICN/Hum Dev/Dying, Death, & Loss/Mune 2007

Discussion Questions 3

Due: June 12, 2007

This discussion question is based upon your readings about funerals as well as your experiences with the funeral home tour.

1. Conduct an Internet Search, and find and describe an alternative to the traditional funeral such as natural (green) burials, do it yourself burials, virtual funerals (or anything else that you might find). What social factors may have led to such alternatives, and what functions may they service in our contemporary death system.

2. Based upon the funeral tour, what were three things that you had learned, or had impressed you (either negatively or positively) about funerals and the funeral industry? What have you learned about funerals that were new to you? What misconceptions did you have before the tour? Do you think the contemporary funeral is serving a need in our society, or should there be changes? Why, or why not?

Evaluation

I will be looking at the clarity of your writing, and at some of the basic mechanics of writing such as spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Any reference citations should appear in a separate reference page, using APA style.

Please put your name, class, honor code affirmation with signature, and date on the back of your paper.