The Transformation of Death Discourse: From ‘Taboo’ to ‘Revival’ at the Threshold of the New Millennium

This chapter introduces and explores the rise of the so-called ‘death taboo thesis’ that has been an integral part of death studies for the past century and discusses its continued relevance. This thesis, put briefly, insists that modern Western societies place a taboo on death and that death is hence forbidden, hidden and problematic at all levels of society. Often this thesis is presented in historical opposition to the apparently more ʼnatural attitude’ towards death and dying in earlier historical epochs. This chapter will draw on and refer to the important works of Philippe Ariès, Edgar Morin, Peter N. Stearns, Tony Walter, Zygmunt Bauman, Norbert Elias and others who, each in their own way, have studied and contributed to the discussion of death as taboo. First, we will trace and consider the death taboo thesis and its concomitant notion of death denial. Then we shall look into what is called the ‘death awareness movement’ of the 1960s, which then leads to a presentation and discussion of the ‘revival of death’ and ‘spectacular death’ theses that over the last few decades have become a recurring reference within the humanities and social sciences. Finally, we will discuss some of the problems associated with studying death taboo, death denial and death revival.