GV3RIP-Geographies of Death

Module Provider: Geography and Environmental Science
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2019/0

Module Convenor: Prof Avril Maddrell

Email: avril.maddrell@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module explores the geographies of death through an exploration of geographical perspectives on death and loss, including mapping grief, emotional-affective and more-than-human geographies; a brief introduction to global and UK demographics; exploration and analysis of varied sites and expressions of death, loss and remembrance in particular places and landscapes, within contemporary multicultural societies; the spatial practices and experiences associated with loss and consolation and how these relate to ideas of  landscapes and environments;questions of extinction and environmental conservation; , Planning in a multicultural society;  deathscapes as sites of ‘Dark Tourism’ and death as a social taboo.

Aims:

This module aims to use geographical concepts, theories and methods to i) explore and understand the geographies associated with dying, death, loss and remembrance; ii) understand the impact of death and remembrance practices on the landscape (rural and urban), including how these change over time, may be contested and require management and planning in a multicultural society;  iii) consider the ‘afterlife’ of sites of death and remembrance in terms of symbolic, cultural and economic significance; iv) to reflect on the emotional geographies of death and loss, including environmental loss and human death as a social taboo.

Assessable learning outcomes:

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  Knowledge of concepts such as mortality, deathscapes, extinction and emotional-affective geographies.

  
  
  

  An ability to apply these concepts to historical and contemporary case studies.

  
  
  

  An understanding of the contestation of sites of death and remembrance and a range of strategies that are deployed to address these issues.

  
  
  

  The Planning issues associated with deathscapes in an inclusive multicultural society such as the UK.

  
  
  

  .Changing social attitudes to death, remembrance and environmental loss.

  
  

Additional outcomes:

Students will be given opportunities to apply conceptual material in a self-directed field class to a local deathscape in Reading.

Outline content:

The module will be explored through five main themes:

a) geographical perspectives on death, loss and remembrance, including deathscapes, extinction, mapping grief and consolation,  and a brief introduction to global and UK demographics;

b) the spatial practices and experiences associated with loss and consolation and how these relate to emotional-affective geographies and therapeutic landscapes and environments;

c) exploration and analysis of varied historic and contemporary sites and expressions of death, loss and remembrance in particular places and landscapes, with implications for environmental conservation and Planning in a multicultural society

d) deathscapes as sites of ‘Dark Tourism’ and death as social taboo.

Global context:

The module will focus on the UK and Western Europe with additional case studies drawn from across the world.

 

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Lectures, seminars, discussions, visiting speakers, self-directed field trip.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		15
Seminars		9
Fieldwork		6
Guided independent study:		170
Total hours by term		200
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written exam	50
Written assignment including essay	50

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Two hours

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Oral assessment and presentation: Pass/Fail

Formative assessment methods:

Students will be given opportunities to complete small, practical tasks in every lecture and seminar. They can check their understanding of key concepts though these tasks. Formative feedback will be given on a short group presentation based on fieldwork.

Penalties for late submission:
The Module Convener will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day[1] (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;

where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A mark of 40% overall

Reassessment arrangements:

Resubmission of coursework and/or re-examination; a 500 word filed work-based report in lieu of pass/fail group presentation.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 23 January 2020