Cesta k neo-modernímu typu smrti

This text aims to trace the thematisation of death and dying in Sociology, which in the 1990’ evolves into constituion of independent sociological sub-discipline: “sociology of dying and death”. The main intention then is to go beyond the commonly held belief that the death is still a taboo. The arcticle consists of six thematic parts: first part summarizes the occurence of problems of dying and death in sociology, reflecting recent developments not only in social sciences, but also in the society as such. Theretofore the death is interpreted by religion but has been medicalized so that nowadays medicine represents the determinative paradigm of death (second part). This development is in accordance with the most important framework in the intensely individualized society centered around the notion of “self”, closely connected with the concept of body and embodiment (third part). Fourth part summarizes the evolution of new sub-discip-line and the fifth part is concerned with the revival concept of death in the work of British sociologist Tony Walter. On the basis of the comparison of traditional, modern and neo-modern model of death we comment on social phenomena associated with other relevant conceptions. Sixth part is focused on the problems of “good death”.