PS3240: The Psychology of Love, Death and Meaning
This final-year module in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, coordinated by Dr. Sam Fairlamb, explores fundamental aspects of the human condition: the pursuit of love, the search for meaning, and the fear of death. The module investigates how these existential concerns influence various social issues, such as prejudice, relationships, and environmental attitudes, as well as their impact on health and well-being. Additionally, it examines the methods researchers use to empirically study these critical topics.
CR3036: The Sociology of Death
This final-year module in the Department of Law at Royal Holloway, coordinated by Dr. Melissa Henderson, examines how sociology deepens our understanding of the social processes surrounding death and dying. Sociologists view mortality as a social issue, shaped by our cultural and social experiences. This module investigates how perceptions of death, dying, and bereavement differ across societies and explores the factors driving these variations. Key topics include the evolution of attitudes toward death, the medicalization of death, contemporary grief practices, dark tourism, funeral rituals, and the portrayal of death in popular culture.
CR3001: Sociology of Health and Illness
This final-year module in the Department of Law at Royal Holloway, coordinated by Dr. Natalie Pitimson, challenges the notion that health and medicine are exclusively the domains of the natural sciences. Sociologists argue that understanding health and medicine requires viewing them as integral parts of the human condition. This perspective necessitates a critical analysis of how individuals’ lived experiences, perceptions, and attitudes intersect with the socio-political contexts in which health and medicine are practiced. The module explores concepts such as the self and the body, stigma and illness, the medicalization of society, health inequalities, the impact of social media on mental health, and the issue of health-related mistrust that became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination efforts.