THE SOCIOLOGY OF DEATH: Perceptions of Death and Actual Practices in Comtemporary Japan   by Yoshiya Soeda February 2001, 190 x 135 mm, 368 pp., 3,400- Japan maintains its own cultural standards concerning human death and funeral services. Japanese people have many unique verbal and artistic expressions for death. The “culture of death” strongly reflects Japanese ethnic characteristics and traditions. However, rapid advances in medical technology in recent years have introduced universal, transcultural issues to the Japanese culture of death. Perceptions of death and funeral practices in Japan, the subjects of this book, are essential factors in understanding contemporary Japanese culture and society, as well as Japanese views on life and death. This book describes in detail how deaths caused by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, deaths from cancer, and deaths by suicide affected bereaved family members. It also examines posthumous body donation, spiritual communication between the deceased and their families, and the transformation of funeral services. The author studies the social and cultural significance of death from many perspectives based on painstaking, long-term empirical research and a deep understanding of the Japanese culture. This is the first serious book on the “sociology of death” published in Japan, and has few parallels in the world. It offers many valuable suggestions for researchers, students, and other readers interested in Japanese culture and society by providing a comparative sociological analysis of death. Contents Introduction Part 1: Deaths from Cancer and Experiences of Separation Cancer Notification and Family Members Four Patterns of Emotional Expression In Response to Death A Tale of Nursing and Separation — Regarding the Death of One Middle-Aged Female Cancer Patient Part 2: Aspects of Death in Earthquake Disasters Earthquake Experiences and Stories Tales of those who Experienced Separation by Death — Kobe , January 17, 1995 Part 3: Children's Experiences of Separation by Death Children Left Behind by Suicide Inside the Minds of Children — Pictures Drawn by Young Earthquake Survivors Part 4: Japanese Culture and the Sociology of Death Corpse Donation as a Posthumous Personal Choice Modernization and Changes in Funeral Services Connection to the Dead Conclusion Acknowledgments and List of Publications of Original Appearance About the Author Born in 1934, Yoshiya Soeda obtained a bachelor's degree in literature and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Tokyo. He was a professor of sociology at Tsukuba University before assuming the post of professor at Kinjo Gakuin University, where he currently teaches and does research. Soeda is a leader in Japanese sociology for his balancing of case studies with theoretical research based on social surveys. He has won great praise for his many academic and social contributions. Major books by Soeda include Essays on Japanese Culture — How to Read the ‘Chrysanthemum and the Sword’ by Ruth Benedict; Study of the Social Security System in Postwar Japan — Research on History of the Ministry of Health and Welfare; Social History of the Livelihood Protection System; and Social History of the Imperial Rescript on Education — Development and Collapse of Nationalism.