This Unit was formed to address all manner of scholarly discussion relating to death. While death is the single certainty in every life, a myriad number of ways exist to study and approach it. Our aim is to provide an outlet for the scholarly discussion of all issues relating to death, the dying, the grieving, the dead, and the afterlife. We are open to all methodologies, religious traditions, and topics of inquiry.
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Death, Dying, and Beyond Unit
Call for Proposals
Death, Dying and Beyond Unit invites paper proposals on the following topics:
- Traumatic death and dying, such as but not limited to murder, suicide, natural disaster, catastrophe, etc. and/or trauma-informed practices and research methods. We specifically seek proposals that can be developed for an edited and publishable collection.
- Working and Teaching Outside the Academy: A Roundtable on Death, Dying, and Beyond Landscapes: The Death, Dying, and Beyond Unit, Applied Religious Studies Committee, and the Teaching Religion Unit would like to host a roundtable discussion that will bring together individuals educationally trained in religion, comparative religious studies, theology, etc. who are working, teaching or consulting in fields outside the academy in the death, dying, and beyond landscapes. These fields could include death technology, funeral services, grief and bereavement counseling, media (e.g. podcasts), hospice and hospital work, policy and nonprofits. This moderated, roundtable discussion will generally explore and value careers beyond the academy but more particularly the ways in which education, skills and pedagogical training in religion have uniquely prepared folks for careers in fields associated with death, dying, and bereavement outside the academy.
- Collective for Radical Death Studies Workshop: similar to our work with Death Over Dinner in 2020. While the theme and structure of the workshop will be different, the committee is actively seeking to decolonize and decentralize whiteness in death and dying studies.
Statement of Purpose
Co-Sponsoring
Chairs
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Candi K. Cann, Baylor University1/1/2019 - 12/31/2024
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Amy Defibaugh, Temple University1/1/2019 - 12/31/2024
Steering Committee Members
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John Borchert, University of North Carolina, Greensboro1/1/2019 - 12/31/2024
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Jamie Brummitt, University of North Carolina, Wilmington1/1/2022 - 12/31/2027
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Mohamed S. Hassan, Temple University1/1/2022 - 12/31/2027
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Beverley Foulks McGuire, University of North Carolina, Wilmington1/1/2019 - 12/31/2024
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Rachael Ward, Columbia Theological Seminary1/1/2021 - 12/31/2026
Method
PAPERS
Review Process
Proposer names are visible to chairs but anonymous to steering committee members