Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - SA 887 G200

Special Topics in Sociology/Anthropology (5)

The Social Lives of the Dead

Class Number: 6882

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An advanced seminar devoted to an in-depth examination of a topic not regularly offered by the department.

COURSE DETAILS:

The dead are everywhere, and surprisingly lively in human worlds. This graduate seminar will employ ethnographic accounts of the dead and dying as tools for engaging with theories relevant for anthropology. We will investigate some of the many ways that the dead are made to remain involved in the lives and well-being of the living. Topics include assisted dying, the missing and disappeared, the treatment of the dead bodies and body parts, memorials, the “good” death, state-led mass murder, unmarked graves, etc.

Class meetings will be largely devoted to student-led discussions of readings, films, and other course materials. Within the broad framework of the course, students will have the opportunity to propose specific topics and materials for inquiry.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

At the conclusion of the course, students will have

  • deepened their understanding and appreciation for social theory and be prepared to apply it in new contexts;
  • become familiar with some of the large and diverse anthropological literature concerning the treatment of the dead and dying

Grading

NOTES:

Students are expected to set their own learning goals and to work towards them through the course of the term. I will provide substantive written feedback on coursework without grades, and students are encouraged to address that feedback in ways that support their learning goals.

Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or does not withdraw from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing. The weekly reading journal is exempt from the requirement to avoid an N grade.

Grading System: The undergraduate course grading system is A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, N (N standing indicates student did not complete course requirements). Intervals for the assignment of final letter grades based on course percentage grades are as follows:

A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements

REQUIREMENTS:

Your final mark in the class will be based on the following:

  • a weekly reading journal
  • a book review essay
  • multi-part research project related to the course topic and of the student’s choice
  • regular constructive participation and attendance

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

All 3 books are available in digital format and are available in the SFU Library, though graduate students should consider purchasing the books. All 3 books are available from Amazon, though I encourage you to purchase through a local independent bookstore such as Iron Dog or Massy Books.

Academic Honesty and Student Conduct Policies: The Department of Sociology and Anthropology follows SFU policy in relation to grading practices, grade appeals (Policy T 20.01) and academic honesty and student conduct procedures (S10-S10.05). Unless otherwise informed by your instructor in writing, in graded written assignments you must cite the sources you rely on and include a bibliography/list of references, following an instructor-approved citation style. It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of the content of SFU policies available on the SFU website: http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student.html.

 

Centre for Accessible Learning: Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need classroom or exam accommodations are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (1250 Maggie Benston Centre) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.

REQUIRED READING:

Rosaldo, Renato. 2014. The Day of Shelly’s Death: the poetry and ethnography of Death. Durham: Duke University Press
ISBN: 0822356619

Allison, Anne. 2023. Being Dead Otherwise. Durham: Duke University Press
ISBN: 1478019840

Ralph, Laurence. 2024. Sito: An American Teenager and the City that Failed Him. New York: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 978-1538740323

Podcasts, videos, journal articles and book chapters (available through CANVAS)

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.