" This book] is an excellent resource for the diverse practitioners and educators who are involved in this nascent area."--Cruse Bereavement Care

" This] book is innovative and timely, challenging the reader to think 'out of the box.' Sofka, Cupit, and Gilbert provide a framework to explore thanatology in an online universe while encouraging continuous research to adapt to this ever-changing digital world."--Death Studies

"Historically we have always employed our foremost technology in the service of the dead. We have used whatever we had at our disposal to mourn, to support, to share memories and to tell stories. Carla J. Sofka, Illene Noppe Cupit, and Kathleen R. Gilbert reaffirm that principle reminding us that this new digital world both offers dramatic technologies and creates considerable opportunities to deal with dying, death, and grief. The editors are extraordinarily sensitive to the multiple ways that this new technology has impacted upon the death system or the ways that a society organizes behavior around dying and death. "Dying, Death, and Grief in an Online Universe" is bound to be a classic." Kenneth J Doka, PhD
Professor, The College of New Rochelle
Senior Consultant, The Hospice Foundation of America

Modern communication technology has profoundly influenced societal practices and views about dying, death, and loss. This text, written for death educators, clinicians, researchers, and students of thanatology, provides current information about "thanatechnology," the communication technology used in providing death education, grief counseling, and thantology research.

The book offers a broad overview of how the communication technology revolution affects individuals coping with end-of-life issues, death-related and non-death loss and grief, and implications of the "digital divide" between those who are knowledgeable about and have access to modern technology, and those who are not. It describes the proliferation of online support groups and social network sites to cope with loss, and mechanisms for the memorialization and commemoration of loss. It also highlights blogging as a mechanism for storytelling and SKYPE as a communication tool during times of loss and grief. The unique issue of disenfranchised grief experienced by online community members is also explored along with ethical issues. Appendices provide guidance regarding the online availability of different types of informational support, tools to evaluate the integrity of online resources, and ethical standards. Key Features:

Examines the ways in which modern communication technology has revolutionized societal practices and views about dying, death, and loss Offers time-tested strategies for providing death education online Addresses ethical issues related to availability and use of technology Explores the implications of the "digital divide" between technology and non-technology users in relation to issues of death and loss Analyzes how technology has shaped and changed thanatology research

This thirtieth edition of Annual Editions: The Family is a collection of articles from the best of the public press. The articles cover topics such as: exploring and establishing relationships; maintaining relationships; the challenges and opportunities of crises; and maintaining healthy relationships in families. Dushkin Online (www.dushkin.com/online/) is a student Web site designed to support Annual Editions.

"The Annual Editions series" is designed to provide convenient, inexpensive access to a wide range of current articles from some of the most respected magazines, newspapers, and journals published today. "Annual Editions" are updated on a regular basis through a continuous monitoring of over 300 periodical sources. The articles selected are authored by prominent scholars, researchers, and commentators writing for a general audience. "The Annual Editions" volumes have a number of common organizational features designed to make them particularly useful in the classroom: a general introduction; an annotated table of contents; a topic guide; an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites; and, a brief overview for each section. Each volume also offers an online Instructor's Resource Guide with testing materials. "Using Annual Editions in the Classroom" is a general guide that provides a number of interesting and functional ideas for using "Annual Editions" readers in the classroom. Visit our associated website for more details.