Understanding baby loss: The sociology of life, death, and post‐mortem. By K.Reed, J.Ellis, and E.Whitby, Manchester University Press. 2023. pp. 246. £80.00 (Hardcover). ISBN: 978‐1‐5261‐6318‐9
Year: 2024
Type: book-review
Abstract: Understanding baby loss: The sociology of life, death, and post-mortem by Kate Reed, Julie Ellis and Elspeth Whitby offers a nuanced and contextualised understanding of baby loss for both parents and health professionals who accompanied the journey of bereavement, as well as the decision-making and the practices of post-mortem.Understanding baby loss is derived from a qualitative study in the UK context, involving interviews with parents and grandparents who experienced baby loss and professionals.This book delves into a sensitive field of medical practices and a sensitive topic in social science studies-death and technologies exploring the cause of death.The researchers deployed the analytical tool of 'sociological senses'-seeing, listening and feeling-to make sense of baby loss and to reflect on researchers' feelings as well (p.10).By introducing the 'emerging technologies in practice'-MRI and CT scan-that have been used to perform less invasive post-mortem (minimal post-mortem, MIA) in recent years, the authors highlight the changing post-mortem practices in the UK.Set in this backdrop, Understanding baby loss explores different forms of baby loss and their sequential decisions on post-mortem examinations.The first chapter looks at 'trauma', focussing on the initial event of loss to explore the sociological dimensions of trauma, including parents' reactions and responses to the shock of witnessing baby loss, as well as the physical and social spaces as a site of both the individual and collective trauma.This chapter brings the readers into the embodied feelings of baby loss by delineating parents' shock and aftershock, and how baby loss is not a 'one-off event' but becomes a 'new normal' in their lives.The second chapter elucidates the decision-making about post-mortem by showing how individuals' choices are embedded in the social structures.This chapter followed the sociological tradition of analysing the dynamics of agency and structure to explore the
Source: Sociology of Health & Illness
Author: Jung Chen
Institution: University of Cambridge
Language: English
Subfield: Anthropology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,330
OpenAlex ID: W4402619498