SPRb1220 Thanatology

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeňka Dohnalová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeňka Dohnalová, Ph.D.
Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 19 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/19, only registered: 0/19
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course offers an open discussion about the death and dying. Main objectives can be summarized as follows: to present death and dying as a specific social event; to analyze the ways how the society and the individuals deal with this event; to use death and dying as an example of suffering and a definite, unsolvable situation which is a subject common to different fields of social work. At the end of this course, students should be able: to describe the difference in approaches to death and dying in different historical and societal times, to review main principles and forms of palliative and hospice care; to identify basic problems of dying patients and their families and to interpret their behavior; to propose basic counseling to palliative patients and their families.
Learning outcomes
orientation in the field of thanatology; knowledge of basic principles of counseling for survivors; to provide crisis intervention
Syllabus
  • TOPIC 1: DEATH AND DYING AS A PROBLEM OF THE WHOLE SOCIETY: Modern society and death (description of the status, the death taboo, different sociological approaches)
  • The fear of death (historical and cultural modifications), dying in traditional societies – myths and reality
  • Analyses of modern fear of death
  • TOPIC 2: ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO DEATH AND DYING Possible alternatives and their chances to succeed (palliative medicine, hospices, home care)
  • Palliative care. Definition of terms, basic principles, holistic approach to the ill person/person in need. Hospice movement (history, definitions, foreign experiences, the Czech hospice movement)
  • TOPIC 3: BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIO-SPIRITUAL APPROACH TO DYING PERSONS; „QUALITY OF LIFE“ Breaking bad news – pros and cons, the possible ways of telling the truth
  • Physical needs and problems of dying persons, palliative care means, the laic care. How does the terminally ill and dying person look?
  • Emotional needs and problems of the dying and their families. What can be done for them?
  • Social needs and problems of the dying and their families, the role of the social worker in improving the quality of life, the current social law system and options for help to the terminally ill.
  • Spiritual needs and problems of the dying, pastoral care, looking for the sense of life and suffering.
  • The phase after death of the ill person. Bereavement and mourning. The support to the bereaved.
Literature
    required literature
  • ŠPATENKOVÁ, Naděžda. Poradenství pro pozůstalé. Vydání 1. Praha: Grada, 2008, 143 stran. ISBN 9788024717401. URL info
  • HAŠKOVCOVÁ, Helena. Thanatologie : nauka o umírání a smrti. 2., přepr. vyd. Praha: Galén, 2007, 244 s. ISBN 9788072624713. info
    recommended literature
  • TOLSTOJ, Lev Nikolajevič. Dvě smrti. Edited by Lev Nikolajevič Tolstoj, Translated by Alena Morávková. Vyd. v tomto překladu 1. Praha: Havran, 2003, 153 s. ISBN 8086515273. info
  • ŠPATENKOVÁ, Naděžda. Zármutek a pomoc pozůstalým. Vyd. 1. Praha: ISV, 2001, 267 s. ISBN 808586682X. info
  • ARIÈS, Philippe. Dějiny smrti. Translated by Danuše Navrátilová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2000, 410 s. ISBN 8072032933. info
  • ARIÈS, Philippe. Dějiny smrti. Translated by Danuše Navrátilová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2000, 358 s. ISBN 8072032860. info
  • O osamělosti umírajících v našich dnech. Edited by Norbert Elias - Alena Bláhová. 1. vyd. Praha: Nakladatelství Franze Kafky, 1998, 66 s. ISBN 80-85844-39-7. info
  • KÜBLER-ROSS, Elisabeth. Odpovědi na otázky o smrti a umírání : etický manuál pro mediky, lékaře a sestry. Translated by Tomáš Drábek - Jarmila Drábková. Praha: EM Reflex, 1995, 288 s. info
  • BLUMENTHAL-BARBY, Kay. Kapitoly z thanatologie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Avicenum, zdravotnické nakladatelství, 1987, 149 s. URL info
Teaching methods
lectures, reading, reflexion of disscussed problems in homework essays.
Assessment methods
Lectures, class discussion, 80% attendance (2 absences tolerated), 3 written homeworks, reading. Test.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Při zápisu mají přednost studenti vyšších ročníků (semestrů).
Teacher's information
https://is.muni.cz/auth/dok/index.pl?fakulta=1423;dok=1423:spp220
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/SPRb1220