The Spirit Ambulance: Choreographing the End of Life in ThailandThe Spirit Ambulance is a journey into decision-making at the end of life in Thailand, where families attempt to craft good deaths for their elders in the face of clashing ethical frameworks, from a rapidly developing universal medical system, to national and global human-rights politics, to contemporary movements in Buddhist metaphysics. Scott Stonington’s gripping ethnography documents how Thai families attempt to pay back a “debt of life” to their elders through intensive medical care, followed by a medically assisted rush from the hospital to home to ensure a spiritually advantageous last breath. The result is a powerful exploration of the nature of death and the complexities arising from the globalization of biomedical expertise and ethics around the world. |
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The Spirit Ambulance: Choreographing the End of Life in Thailand Scott Stonington Limited preview - 2020 |
The Spirit Ambulance: Choreographing the End of Life in Thailand Scott Stonington Limited preview - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
Anthropology Arirat asked autonomy back their debt Bangkok Bioethics biomedical biomedicine blood body Bua and Phai Buddha Buddhadasa Buddhadasa's death cancer chai Chiang Chonawat choreographing death choreography choreography of death complex concept Culture daughter diagnosis disciples doctor doula end-of-life endotracheal tube ethical explained father Fawng fieldwork ghosts global go home healthcare heart-mind human individuals Jandi’s kamlang čhai karma master Khao Sod khwan later level of mind lives Loek Mahu mechanical ventilator Medical Anthropology medicine meditation merit metaphysical monks moral mother Nakhon Ping Hospital Nanban needed northern Thailand Nurse Ampha one’s pain Paisal palliative palliative care patients Paul Farmer pay back personhood phase of dying Pheuak physicians political Prawet rebirth role Siriraj Hospital social spirit ambulance Stonington Taem talk Tawo Tawo's Thai Buddhism Theravada Buddhism things truth tumor understand University Press wēn word