Posted on Jan. 9: Seminars explore death, dying, bereavement

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/DYING.jpg” caption=”Dying at Grace”]McMaster students from all parts of campus have the opportunity to learn first hand about the fields of palliative care and cinima viriti in a series of events geared to exploring the topic of death and dying.

Professor Ellen Badone, who is affiliated with the departments of religious studies and anthropology, has brought together a leading expert on the sociology of death and bereavement, a special screening of an acclaimed film on dying and the Canadian filmmaker and staff from the hospital where the documentary was filmed.

Badone has arranged for a special screening of Dying at Grace, a film produced by renowned filmmaker Allan King. The film will be shown during a regularly scheduled class of this term's Death and Dying: Comparative Views course, taught by professor Donna Seamone. The film, which drew wide acclaim when it was first shown at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival, chronicles the experience of five patients dying in the palliative care unit of Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre. The screening is on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Information Technology Building, Rm. 137.

King, hospital palliative care unit staff including director Jean Jackson, chief physician Colette Hegarty and major Phyllis Bobbitt, director of pastoral care, will join Hooker Distinguished professor Tony Walter, an expert in the sociology of death, dying, bereavement, funerals and afterlife beliefs for an interactive question and answer session to enable students to discuss the film, express their opinions and gain further information.

Badone said offering a screening of the acclaimed documentary with leading experts such as Walter and the staff from the palliative care unit on hand provides students with a unique learning experience.

“This will give students a first hand opportunity to learn about the experiences of professionals who are active in their fields and possibly see role models for their future careers,” said Badone, noting the event is supported by the Experiential Education Initiative of the Faculty of Social Sciences. “The discussion time may also be valuable because there aren't that many social spaces on campus for talking about this subject.”

Some participants may also have technical questions for filmmaker King, who helped pioneer the technique of cinima viriti.

There are 140 students registered in the course that draws participants from religious studies, gerontology, health studies, nursing, as well as science and engineering and potential M.D. students. Priority in seating for the screening will be given to students registered in the course.

In addition to participating in the post-screening discussion, Walter, from the Department of Sociology at the University of Reading, U. K., will give three lectures. His visit is co-sponsored by the departments of religious studies, sociology, and anthropology, as well as the health studies program and the McMaster Centre for Gerontological Studies.

On Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Walter will lead a seminar outlining research plans to study what happens to doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers and other public servants who are subject to quality assurance monitoring for their work. Walter's talk, titled “Quality and its Discontents: Personal Responses to Professional Bureaucratization,” suggests this trend may lead to restructuring in a number of professions. The seminar takes place from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The second lecture, called “Three Ways to Arrange a Funeral: A Case Study in Modernization,” examines the differences in the way modern funerals are conducted in North America, the British Isles and other parts of Europe. The lecture takes place Wednesday, Jan. 14 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The third lecture is titled “The Revival of Death” and sets out a sociological framework for understanding how practices around dying, disposal of the dead and mourning have changed in the modern era. The lecture takes place Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

All three lectures are open to the public and will be held in the CIBC Hall on the third floor of the McMaster University Student Centre.