Diagnose Lebenssattheit? Literarische und filmische Perspektiven auf das ‚vollendete Leben‘ und den ‚Altersfreitod‘ in den Niederlanden, Belgien, Deutschland und der Schweiz
ISBN
9783111591933
Type
book section
Date Issued
2025-12-04
Author(s)
Abstract
In several countries, ongoing debates address whether assisted suicide should be available to elderly individuals who are not (severely) ill but consider their lives complete for various reasons. A key challenge in such cases lies in distinguishing these death wishes from those that may stem from treatable mental illness, lack genuine autonomy, or are not based on unbearable and irreversible suffering. The negotiation of how to address such wishes involves not only political and societal actors, but also literature and film. This article examines how Dutch- and German-language works from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland engage artistically with the issue—including novels, novellas, autobiographical accounts, memoirs, as well as feature and documentary films. These works offer a broad spectrum of perspectives: they give narrative form to abstract concepts and invite reflection—either by fostering understanding for the decision to die or by exposing ethical ambiguities and internal tensions.
Language
German
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Book title
Mental Health in Literatur, Populärmedien und Medizin. Aushandlungen von psychischer Gesundheit und Krankheit aus intersektionaler Perspektive
Start page
117
End page
141
Subject(s)
Division(s)
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
Keller u. Schrover, Diagnose Lebenssattheit.pdf
Size
218.01 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
ec47ece41d957afb9b5a9a48885f6099