Making sense of difference
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are valued. In this introductory chapter we provide a selective overview of the place of gender and ethnicity in modern society in order to provide a context for the chapters which follow. We summarise the available material about mortality, gender and ethnicity, drawing particularly upon research in the sociology of health and illness. The relative absence of discussion and analysis of gender and ethnicity in the now extensive sociological literature about death, dying and bereavement in modern societies follows a similar pattern to the initial neglect and subsequent concern about these topics in sociology. We suggest that, with respect to gender, the insights of feminism have much to offer. We conclude our introduction with a brief consideration of the contribution of more general theoretical conceptualisations in sociology to the developing interest in the ways in which gender and ethnicity are related to death and dying in modern societies. DEATH, ILLNESS AND GENDER There are a number of striking differences in mortality and illness between men and women in Britain and other industrial societies. In all such societies at all ages the death rates of females are lower than those for males. The patterning of death is also different (Table 1.1). Men are more likely to experience and die from cardiovascular conditions (though these are important among women), cancers (except breast and cervix) and bronchitis. These are the major causes of death in our society. Especially large differences appear where individual acts are the cause of death. Males, especially young men, are more likely to die from suicide, homicide and accidents. Men are also much more likely to die in war, whereas women stand a greater risk of injury and death from domestic violence (Dobash and Dobash 1992). In terms of illness, women report more acute illness, make more physician visits, are more likely to be hospitalised (even when excluding childbirth and reproductive admissions) and consume more medicines than men (Blaxter 1990). The picture for chronic illness and disability is less clear cut, but again in the UK women generally have higher rates than men. A number of empirical and conceptual explanations of the gender differences outlined above have been advanced (Clarke 1983, Nathanson 1977, Verbrugge 1985). There may be some influence from artefactual and definitional factors. There is some