Thanatology Research from Québec: A Different Emphasis

Abstract

Researchers must be acutely aware of the emotional, environmental, and cultural context of studies as well as the dynamic interactions which are continually changing this context. This characterization of a major trend in French-speaking research in Quebec is well exemplified by the series of lectures on Death, Distress, and Solidarity that gave rise to the articles published in this special issue of Omega. The contributors have attempted to incorporate the best aspects of European critical thinking within an interdisciplinary and contextual approach, showing clear awareness of the sociopolitical forces that affect our relationship with mortality. The author illustrates some of his points by discussing the Kurosawa film, Ikuru, which recounts the transformation of an obsessive bureaucrat after he learns that he has terminal cancer.