The end of the beginning : context of death at birth in the
Czech Republic

J 2019

The end of the beginning : context of death at birth in the Czech Republic

ŠMÍDOVÁ, Iva

Basic information

Original name

The end of the beginning : context of death at birth in the Czech Republic

Authors

ŠMÍDOVÁ, Iva (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Mortality, Abingdon, Routledge, 2019, 1357-6275

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

50401 Sociology

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

článek

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14230/19:00107183

Organization unit

Faculty of Social Studies

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13576275.2018.1529743

UT WoS

001000547700005

Keywords in English

Perinatal loss; last rites; Czech Republic; Post-Socialist; medicalisation; death and dying

Abstract

V originále

The Czech Republic represents a very secular, Post-Socialist country, with top-ranking medical care in biomedical standards. Nevertheless, issues of death, bereavement and associated rituals have been displaced to the very edge of both social policy and public debate. The article analyses the context of perinatal loss as an experience of end of life at its very beginning. It frames the institutional setting and symbolic context of and for such ‘inappropriate’ event, employing conceptual approaches of authoritative knowledge associated with perinatal loss. The article elaborates the current medicalised practice and cultural rituals. One perspective is the ambiguity of the definition of a stillbirth with competing sets of knowledge claiming their expertise over this issue. Another perspective is represented by the rules and practice for burying bodies treated until very lately as biological waste and disposed accordingly. The appeal to ‘healthy population’ forms the atmosphere for dealing with death itself. Third, interplay among interest groups advocating for or against the status quo is elaborated on. These are complemented by two additional perspectives; the ceasing practice of public last rites and by evidence from parental discussion forum, helping us diversify the subject matter under study in a specific Post-Socialist context.

Links

GA17-02773S, research and development project

Name: Perinatální ztráta - případová studie

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Perinatal Loss - A Case Study

Files attached

The_end_of_the_beginning_context_of_death_at_birth_in_the_Czech_Republic.pdf

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Citovat

ŠMÍDOVÁ, Iva. The end of the beginning : context of death at birth in the Czech Republic. Mortality. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019, vol. 24, No 4, p. 431 - 449. ISSN 1357-6275. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13576275.2018.1529743.

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   article_location = {Abingdon},
   article_number = {4},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13576275.2018.1529743},
   keywords = {Perinatal loss; last rites; Czech Republic; Post-Socialist; medicalisation; death and dying},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {1357-6275},
   journal = {Mortality},
   title = {The end of the beginning : context of death at birth in the Czech Republic},
   url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13576275.2018.1529743},
   volume = {24},
   year = {2019}
}

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N2  - The Czech Republic represents a very secular, Post-Socialist country, with top-ranking medical care in biomedical standards. Nevertheless, issues of death, bereavement and associated rituals have been displaced to the very edge of both social policy and public debate. The article analyses the context of perinatal loss as an experience of end of life at its very beginning. It frames the institutional setting and symbolic context of and for such ‘inappropriate’ event, employing conceptual approaches of authoritative knowledge associated with perinatal loss. The article elaborates the current medicalised practice and cultural rituals. One perspective is the ambiguity of the definition of a stillbirth with competing sets of knowledge claiming their expertise over this issue. Another perspective is represented by the rules and practice for burying bodies treated until very lately as biological waste and disposed accordingly. The appeal to ‘healthy population’ forms the atmosphere for dealing with death itself. Third, interplay among interest groups advocating for or against the status quo is elaborated on. These are complemented by two additional perspectives; the ceasing practice of public last rites and by evidence from parental discussion forum, helping us diversify the subject matter under study in a specific Post-Socialist context.
ER  -

ŠMÍDOVÁ, Iva. The end of the beginning : context of death at birth in the Czech Republic. \textit{Mortality}. Abingdon: Routledge, 2019, vol.~24, No~4, p.~431 - 449. ISSN~1357-6275. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13576275.2018.1529743.

Detailed Information on Publication Record