A special issue of Death Studies on Death Acceptance: Theory, Research and Applications.

Editors for the special issue: Paul T. P. Wong, Adrian Tomer & Robert Neimeyer

Deadline for submission: September 31, 2008

Death remains the biggest threat as well as the greatest challenge to humanity. It is the single universal event that affects all of us in ways more than we care to know. In the post 911 era, death attitudes even play a vital role in the on-going geopolitical warfare.

In spite of its pervasive and profound impact and its power to intrigue the human minds since antiquity, death remains shrouded in mystery— an imponderable, blinding mystery that is at once terrorizing and tantalizing.

All through history, human beings have developed elaborate defense mechanisms against the terror of death both at the individual and cultural levels. We now have a huge literature on death denial and terror management.

However, we cannot live forever in a culturally and psychologically induced state of denial. At some point, we will be confronted with the unsettling fact that our life’s journey will soon come to an end.

The time has come for us to seek a better understanding of the process and phenomenon of death acceptance. There are numerous reasons for embarking on this positive exploration.

Firstly, we cannot fully understand the meaning of life, until we stare at death unflinchingly. Paradoxically, death holds the key to life. We cannot live authentically and meaningfully without embracing death.

Secondly, we all need to come to terms with our biological destiny sooner or later. To be prepared for this eventuality enables us to live fully and die without regrets.

Thirdly, there are cultural as well as individual differences in death attitudes. Our conceptions of the good death and our preferred pathways to death acceptance may impact how we live and how we die.

Finally, we need to learn how to talk about death in a way that is liberating, humanizing and life-enhancing. We hope that through an increased understanding of death acceptance, we may learn to treat each other with respect and compassion not only in the medical context but also in daily interactions.

Your submissions may focus on any aspects of death acceptance and employ different kinds of methodology. In addition to empirical and theoretical contributions, we also welcome papers based on clinical practice or personal reflections.

Send inquiries or submissions to pwong@tyndale.ca