Glasgow End of Life Studies Group

Description

A million deaths occur worldwide each week, and this number is expected to almost double by 2055.

With the global aging population and evolving patterns of mortality and morbidity, the care of individuals at the end of life is projected to become one of the most urgent humanitarian concerns of the 21st century. The international significance of how people die cannot be understated. Perceptions of a "good death" are influenced by various factors, including changing cultural and resource considerations, different modes of practice, interventions by key actors, professions, and protagonists, as well as evolving ethical and moral reasoning.

Despite the potential contribution of social sciences to these debates, the current impact of the academic field on policy is insufficient. The University of Glasgow End of Life Studies Group was founded in 2014 to establish new frontiers for knowledge exchange and research in this vital area. Members aim to develop new frontiers for research and knowledge exchange in this important field.

The Research Group undertakes projects on various topics, with the overarching aim of shedding light on individual and collective responses to the challenges posed by death, dying, and bereavement in a rapidly changing world. Some of the current projects include:

• Creating a world map of palliative care
• Investigating the experiences of those dying in marginalized communities
• Studying the role of Death Doulas in end-of-life care
• Examining issues related to Assisted Dying
• Exploring the Liverpool Care Pathway
• Investigating the concept of Total Pain
• Studying Death Cafés as spaces for discussing death and dying
• Analyzing the role of reading and writing in relation to death and dying
• Comparing policies related to death and dying in Japan and the UK (project titled "Mitori")
• Evaluating community palliative care in Kerala, India
• Investigating the legacy of Cicely Saunders, a pioneering figure in palliative care
• Exploring the concept of housing with care in end-of-life settings

Members of the Glasgow End of Life Studies Group are also engaged in various other activities, including:

• Consulting on the Scottish Government Strategic Framework for Action in End of Life Care in Scotland (2015)
• Reporting to the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee inquiry on palliative care
• Collaborating on the development of a new Compassionate Community in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
• Conducting research on Marie Curie and hospital dying
• Advocating for the development of a Crichton Care Campus
• Lobbying for the creation of a Maggie's Centre in Dumfries
• Advising on the EAPC Task Force on the Development of Palliative Care in Europe
• Delivering public lectures on assisted dying and rational suicide in old age
• Creating a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) on End of Life Issues
• Collaborating with renowned artists, such as Norman Gilbert and Celine Marchbank, to curate public exhibitions of powerful images depicting the end of life.

In 2020-21, the group launched its entirely online MSc programme in End of Life Studies. This is a unique blend of bespoke courses which will provide inspiration to those who are fascinated by the character and complexity of end of life issues.

This unique programme of learning represents a new stage in the development of the Glasgow End of Life Studies Group, further internationalising its scope and providing extensive opportunities for hands-on research on various global challenges at the end of life.

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No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

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University of Glasgow
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Glasgow
G12 8QQ