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The Conundrum of Sex and Death: Some Issues in Health Care Practice

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Sexual Cultures

Part of the book series: Explorations in Sociology ((EIS))

Abstract

In this paper we set out some ideas for exploring the inter-relatedness of sex and death from a sociological perspective. In order to do this we draw on a number of key texts, combined with observations from our own research and teaching. One of us (JH) has been engaged for several years in teaching programmes for health workers concerned with sexuality and HIV/AIDS. The other (DC) has, over the same time, developed an interest in palliative care and related issues. Our starting point has therefore been the potential linkages between these two broad areas of interest, which appear connected by some common threads, principally relating to the concepts of identity and of ageing. The purpose of the paper is to identify these connections and to illustrate ways in which they are represented in the particular context of health care and the work of professional carers.1

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Authors
  1. David Clark
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  2. Julia Hirst
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. South Bank University, London, UK

    Jeffrey Weeks (Professor of Sociology) (Professor of Sociology)

  2. Institute of Education, University of London, UK

    Janet Holland (Senior Research Lecturer, Lecturer in Education) (Senior Research Lecturer, Lecturer in Education)

  3. The Open University, UK

    Janet Holland (Senior Research Lecturer, Lecturer in Education) (Senior Research Lecturer, Lecturer in Education)

Copyright information

© 1996 British Sociological Association

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Cite this chapter

Clark, D., Hirst, J. (1996). The Conundrum of Sex and Death: Some Issues in Health Care Practice. In: Weeks, J., Holland, J. (eds) Sexual Cultures. Explorations in Sociology. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-24518-5_14

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