(Death and Dying under Capitalism: An Ecological and Humanistic Perspective).
Subject Inventor: Palmar Álvarez-Blanco
About the course
This course proposes an intellectual and deeply personal experience. It is articulated as a four-stage rite of passage that invites us to critically and creatively navigate through the cultural, social and political meanings of dying and the end of life, both individual and planetary, under the conditions of the capitalist system.
Course objectives
- To explore death, dying and the ecological crisis within the framework of the capitalist, Western and Christian-centric system, from an interdisciplinary perspective.
- Understand key aspects of Western Christian cultural history that help explain why death, conflict, aging and the end of life have become taboo in capitalist societies.
- To analyze the emergence of citizen movements that claim new ways of understanding the end of life from non-anthropocentric frameworks.
- Recognize the situation of ecocide and eco-anxiety derived from ecological crises and the threat of mass extinction, including human extinction.
- To examine ethical dilemmas related to death and dying in capitalist contexts.
- Cultivate a critical awareness of the meaning of the end of life through the analysis of artistic expressions that address themes such as grief, care systems, aging and apocalyptic culture.
- Encourage personal and intergenerational reflection.
- Explore the role of creativity as a tool to interpret these problems and imagine other possible systems.
A rite of passage. The four stages of the course
- Systems thinking: Understanding the structural roots of the capitalist, catholicocentric and Western system.
- Recognize its limits: Identify its fractures, absences and consequences.
- To open propositional horizons: To explore the role of art in the transformation of the present.
- Giving meaning to the end: Assuming and re-signifying the end as part of life.
An intergenerational, intersectoral and interdisciplinary coeducation project
This course is built from the methodology of coeducation, understood as a collaborative and horizontal way of generating knowledge. Diverse people from different sectors, territories, disciplines and generations participate in the course.
The team of coeducators is made up of retired people living in Spain who are committed to social transformation. Each of them has participated in a training workshop and has received a coeducation certificate.
Enrollees also assume the role of co-educators in group work and collective projects. This methodology is based on the conviction that knowledge is a common good, whose collective construction requires a plurality of knowledge, backgrounds and positions.
Coeducating in dialogue: objectives in practice
Through Zoom meetings, members and retired co-educators shared knowledge and experiences on topics such as ageism, the multiple deaths we go through in life, retirement, aging, bereavement and care.
These spaces for dialogue made it possible to achieve several of the course objectives:
- Learning the art of intergenerational dialogue.
- Promote cross-cultural and intergenerational understanding of how people cope with life crises and transitions.
- Revisit one’s own biography, questioning personal and cultural taboos.
- To develop critical awareness of the power dynamics that permeate our lives.
- Facilitating transformative encounters within the framework of unexpected relationships.
- Cultivate a critical personal, systemic and structural awareness.
Comments from the group of people enrolled in the course:
“It was very interesting to make intergenerational connections and hear from people with different experiences on topics like consumerism and death.”
“I also really enjoyed the opportunity to learn from the co-educators in Spain. Hearing their perspectives and experiences was very interesting and inspiring. It was valuable to be able to listen to people with more life experience than me and to know what they thought about the topics we discussed in class.”
“I loved these conversations. I really value talking to older people and understanding their perspectives on life. It is extremely important to value older people and listen to their lived experiences. Also, the co-educators were lovely and kind, it was a pleasure to talk with them.”
“I think these conversations were useful in two ways: on the one hand, to learn the course content and, on the other hand, to practice communicating with native speakers. It was interesting to hear their perspectives, especially from a different culture and how they view various topics. I found them valuable. Perhaps more preparation in class beforehand would have been helpful, because I didn’t fully understand what the interviews would be like until they started.”
“I really enjoyed these conversations! The intergenerational connection is quite important to me, and at Carleton I rarely have the opportunity to interact with seniors who are not teachers so I appreciated hearing the views of our co-educators. That they were from Spain enriched the experience as it allowed us to learn about the differences and similarities between Spain and the U.S. in terms of work culture, aging and death.”
“Personally I was always very nervous before the interviews, but they turned out to be incredibly valuable. The three co-educators I spoke with were very kind and supportive, and from the camaraderie you could tell among them at Zoom, I’d say the same applies to the others.”
“These conversations were great too! I would have been interested in having them steer the conversations a bit more, rather than just following a one-sided interview structure. I think I would have learned more if they could have steered the conversation towards some subtopic that they had a lot to share about.”
“One of the most unique and important things I have ever done in my life. Talking to such wise and engaging people on the other side of the world, in my second language, was certainly a challenge, but honestly an amazing experience overall. I learned valuable insights and it allowed me to test my Spanish and classroom knowledge outside of the classroom. Please keep doing this. I will remember this experience all my life.”
“I wish there had been more. I enjoyed being able to practice my Spanish and learn from them. I found it valuable to improve my Spanish. I loved connecting with the co-educators and appreciated the time they spent with us and their willingness to share. I wish I could have spoken to the same person several times to get to know them better and feel more comfortable conversing.”
“This was also one of the highlights of my time at Carleton. Everyone I spoke with was very kind and provided valuable insights. I learned a tremendous amount from them.”
“I really liked the conversations because they were not ordinary interviews. The questions that were asked could really tell a lot about a person, especially if they related to death. It’s interesting to get an older person’s perspective on the end of life and the issues surrounding it.”
“Very helpful, as it allowed us to learn the perspective of someone living in a culture with different values than those in the US. I would say these were the most helpful learning opportunities, as they opened up space to talk about many different ideas and practice our speaking in Spanish.”
“Talking with the co-educators in Spain was valuable because we were able to see real perspectives on how capitalism and aging affect real people, and learn more about Spanish culture and what it’s like to live there compared to the United States.”
