Children's Understanding of Death: From Biological to Religious Conceptions

by Edited by Victoria Talwar , Paul L. Harris , Michael Schleifer

• ISBN13: 9780521194594
• ISBN10: 0521194598
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-04-25
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

In order to understand how adults deal with children's questions about death, we must examine how children understand death, as well as the broader society's conceptions of death, the tensions between biological and supernatural views of death and theories on how children should be taught about death. This collection of essays comprehensively examines children's ideas about death, both biological and religious. Written by specialists from developmental psychology, pediatrics, philosophy, anthropology and legal studies, it offers a truly interdisciplinary approach to the topic. The volume examines different conceptions of death and their impact on children's cognitive and emotional development and will be useful for courses in developmental psychology, clinical psychology and certain education courses, as well as philosophy classes - especially in ethics and epistemology. This collection will be of particular interest to researchers and practitioners in psychology, medical workers and educators - both parents and teachers.

Author Biography

Victoria Talwar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University. Paul L. Harris is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Education at Harvard University. Michael Schleifer is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Quebec in Montreal.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Table	p. vi
List of Contributors	p. vii
Preface and Acknowledgments	p. ix
Death, Ancestors, and the Living Dead: Learning without Teaching in Madagascar	p. 1
Death in Spain, Madagascar, and Beyond	p. 19
Ambivalent Teaching and Painful Learning: Mastering the Facts of Life (?)	p. 41
Death in the Lives of Children	p. 61
Talking to Children about Death in Educational Settings	p. 98
Responsible Believing	p. 116
Thoughts and Feelings: Children and William James Have It Right!	p. 133
How the Law Constructs Its Understanding of Death	p. 156
Index	p. 187
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