Sociology of Funeral Service

“the science of groups; the processes that tend to maintain or change these

forms of organizations and the relations between groups and individuals”

Why study sociology as it relates to funeral service?

• Funeral rite is a social function.• Funeral rite is a “cultural universal”:– announcement of the death– care of the deceased– a method of disposition– ceremony or ritual– memorialization

Readings Question #1

• Page 181• According to Canine, what are the five basic

elements that create the contemporary American funeral?

Readings Question #2

• Page 183• List 7 social benefits of funerals.

Readings Question #3

• Using the Sociology of Funeral Service Glossary, compare and contrast the following terms:

• funeral and memorial service• funeral rite and social function• culture and customs• mores, taboos and folkways• law and rules

Subculture

• Sociology of Funeral Service Chapter 2 page 5• “a division, or smaller identifiable unit of culture,

connected to that culture by common traits, having unique traits to itself”

• members of the subcultures are still associated with the culture but they have some ways and thoughts unique to themselves

• families are often a “blend” of several different subcultures

Readings Question #4

• Page 6• How has “urbanization” influenced the role of

the traditional funeral service in American society?

Readings Question #5

• Using the Sociology of Funeral Service Glossary, compare and contrast the following terms:

• cultural universal, ethnocentrism and cultural relativism

• religion, ceremony and symbols

Readings Question #6

• Using the textbook and Sociology of Funeral Service Glossary, compare and contrast the following funeral rites: traditional, non-traditional, adaptive, humanistic, primitive and immediate disposition.

Sociological Response to Death

Page 81) the funeral rite itself is a social function2) the funeral rite is a cultural universal3) the funeral director must examine and

understand the social structure of the society4) funeral rites reflect both modern and

contemporary tendencies– modern: of or characteristic of the present or recent

times; not ancient– contemporary: living or happening in the same

period

Readings Question #7

• Chapter 3• Using the Sociology of Funeral Service

Glossary and textbook, define and discuss enculturation.