Grief in the American Culture (IN: Living With Grief: who we are, how we Grieve, edited by K J Doka & J D Davidson)

This chapter discusses ways in which the American experience of grief has changed in the last century. Factors such as geographic mobility, a youth-oriented culture, & the de-ritualization of grief have impacted the ways in which bereavement is experienced. Death is now seen & dealt with in more taboo & negative ways with mourning sometimes regarded as morbid or even pathological. The author examines the usefulness of American culture in assisting grief by examining how the grief system helps the bereaved in moving through the tasks of grieving.