The Columbia University Seminar on Death*
invites scholars and practitioners to
The Austin H. Kutscher Memorial Conference
THE PULSE OF DEATH NOW
Columbia University Saturday, March 29, 2008

The experience and representation of death and dying in the 21st Century
include daily news reports of suicide bombers in Baghdad and genocide
victims in Darfur, a popular television show centered on the life of a
funeral director, a best-selling book promoting hospice, and internet
access to individualized memorials. Philippe Ariès’ rubric “The
Invisible Death,” coined for the previous century, seems no longer
applicable.
How do we understand death and dying in the new millennium? In what
direction tends the discourse on death and dying and what does it mean?
Is death and dying more politicized now? More personalized? More
commercially exploited? Does increased visibility indicate acceptance or
is Ariès’ other designation for the last century – “Death Denied” –
still relevant?
The conference invites scholars and clinicians from all fields,
including but not limited to: anthropology, journalism, media studies,
medicine, nursing, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion,
sociology, thanatology, and visual and cultural studies.
We welcome proposals for papers and panels concerning the understanding
and meaning of death in the 21st Century related, but not limited, to
the politicization, exploitation and personalization of death
as currently manifested in:
• Terrorism, genocide and human rights
• Popular media, public and individual memorial ceremonies and burials
• Social, economic, cultural and legislative debate
• Health care and health care institutions
Please send abstracts (300 words) for 20-minute presentations, with
author’s name and presentation title in heading and a one-page C.V. by
September 21, 2007 to CU Seminar on Death co-chairs:
Michael K. Bartalos, MD bartalosmk@verizon.net and Christina Staudt, PhD
christinastaudt@aol.com
Notification of acceptance will be sent by December 15, 2007.
For information on attending the conference please e-mail Joanna
Cheetham jlc221@columbia.edu

*The Columbia University Seminar movement has promoted
inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional explorations for over sixty
years. Austin H. Kutscher founded the Seminar on Death in 1970. For more
information please go to www.columbia.edu/cu/seminars/