Course Description - Images of death are ubiquitous in our society, yet death continues to be taboo and grief has become a "silent epidemic," especially among young adults. This course examines end of life (EoL) communication in a variety of contexts. We will take a close look at how people communicate about death and dying, how people communicate with the dying and the bereaved, and the rituals and practices through which we create meaning out of loss. Throughout the semester, we will attend to the social construction of death in our culture and other cultures, and interrogate why some deaths are afforded dignity and respect, while others are relegated to the margins. Death imbues communication with profound significance. It is my hope that students will develop a dialogic relationship with death, and in turn, gain a deeper appreciation of life.