Citation

Dracklé D. Anthropos 1999; 94(1-3): 121-140.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Anthropos Institute, Publisher Academic Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

In this article, death is considered as a central cultural fact which reveals local ideas about social relations, religion and the nature of society. Social differences are omni-present in the Alentejo - which is often referred to as Europe' s poorhouse - and thus equally so in everything bound up with the cultural process of dying. Death is a political issue as is evidenced in the changes under way in the manner of dealing with the dead and in representations of an afterlife. In the district of Odemira, death is constantly present in everyday life: statistics of suicide rates and those of fatal traffic accidents are significantly high. The subject of dying - and especially of violent forms of death - requires a new anthropology of death which, in addition to analyzing narrowly anthropological data, is also capable of apprehending individuals' feelings in their various interpersonal relationships.

Language: en

Keywords

Afterlife; Anthropology of death; Catholicism; Death; Portugal; Social stratification