Who lives, who dies, who decides? : abortion, neonatal care, assisted dying, and capital punishment

Ekland-Olson, Sheldon 1944- (Author).

Summary: "Issues of life and death such as abortion, assisted suicide, capital punishment, and others are among the most contentious in many societies. Whose rights are protected? How do these rights and protections change over time and who makes those decisions? Based on the author's award-winning and hugely popular undergraduate course at The University of Texas, this book explores these questions and the fundamentally sociological processes that underlie the quest for morality and justice in human societies. The author's goal is not to advocate any particular moral "high ground," but to shed light on the social movements and social processes that are at the root of these seemingly personal moral questions"--Provided by publisher.

Record details

ISBN: 9780415892469 (hardback : acid-free paper)
ISBN: 0415892465 (hardback : acid-free paper)
ISBN: 9780415892476 (pbk : acid-free paper)
ISBN: 0415892473 (pbk : acid-free paper)
ISBN: 9780203182277 (ebk)
ISBN: 0203182278 (ebk)
Physical Description: print
xxiv, 424 p. ; 25 cm.
Publisher: New York ; London : Routledge, 2012.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (p. 379-414) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

A single question -- An exclusionary movement is born -- Legal reform to eliminate defectives -- Redrawing the boundaries of protected life -- Crystallizing events and ethical principles -- A bolt from the blue : abortion is legalized -- Man's law or God's will -- Inches from life -- Should the baby live? -- Limits to tolerable suffering -- Alleviating suffering and protecting life -- God, duty, and life worth living -- Assisted dying -- Removing the protective boundaries of life -- A campaign to stop the executions -- The pendulum swings, the debate continues -- Lessons learned.