Dying and death in a society reflect the material and social conditions of that society. For example, dying and death come frequently and early in life in a society where there is widespread poverty. In contrast, dying and death typically come late in life in a more developed society such as Canada at the beginning of the 21st century. How we live influences how and at what age we die. Similarly, dying is both a personal experience and a social role given shape and meaning by social practices and cultural definitions. The bereaved grieve and mourn in both personal and social terms and the meaning assigned to dying and death is both personally and socially constructed. This book is written for students who wish to learn about dying and death, for practitioners who work with the dying and the bereaved, for the dying and the bereaved themselves, and for the general public.

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