What does dying with dignity mean in a diverse society with rapidly advancing technology, an aging population, and finite resources? In this fascinating collection, scholars from across the nation illuminate the remarkable changes that have taken place in recent years, are now underway, and loom on the horizon as they lead readers on an exploration of the ways Americans think about and handle dying and death. Volume 1, New Paths of Engagement, addresses changes in the circumstances and expressions of death, dying, and grief in 21st-century America. Volume 2, New Venues in the Search for Dignity and Grace, delves into the challenges inherent in creating a medical and social system that allows for an optimal end-of-life experience for all and proposes ways in which society can be reshaped to move toward that ideal.

• Shows how high health care costs; concern for the environment; and a diverse, aging population necessitate rethinking the care of those who are at the end of life
• Discusses controversial topics such as extending life versus quality of life and the politics and laws governing assisted suicide and integrating our final resting place into the urban landscape
• Addresses the effects of the Internet and social media on customs surrounding dying and mourning
• Includes cross-disciplinary insights from fields as diverse as psychology, religion, medicine, law, and popular culture