Webusing a symbolic interactionist approach we conclude that the shock and suddenness of the death is tied up both with the circumstances of the death (suicide,. Popular assertions that death is taboo in the modern world have their academic counterparts. Webhe suggests that following a bereavement an individual’s world may oscillate between a home full of grief and a workplace full of rationality. Webwalter suggests three possible explanations: That there is no taboo; That there is a taboo and that the debate stimulated by, for example, the hospice move ment is an attempt to. Webtheories and methods used by sociologists of death, dying and bereavement are briefly outlined, followed by a number of key debates and challenges: Webthe stigma surrounding death and funerals can create a barrier to healthy conversations and hinder the grieving process. In this blog post, we delve into the. Webtheories and methods used by sociologists researching death, dying and bereavement are briefly outlined, followed by a number of key debates and challenges: Webtheories and methods used by sociologists researching death, dying and bereavement are briefly outlined, followed by a number of key debates and challenges: Views differ on how far the subject of death has ever been taboo in western society. Walter (1991) criticised the way the ‘taboo thesis ’ has been presented, arguing.