Near-death utopias: Now or later?

Abstract

By viewing near-death experiences (NDEs) in the context of the quest for an ideal society, Kellehear offered hope for positive social change and insight into the social, rather than purely personal, meanings of the NDE.However, his approach raised issues of the interpretive research process gener ally.As with any research, near-death studies are influenced by investigators' questions, interests, and assumptions.Despite the reasoning behind Kel lehear's position, he grounded his analysis not in the data, but rather in his typology of ideal societies.I suggest we look first for indications of ideal social order in near-death narratives, and only later compare them with types of utopias.Allan Kellehear developed a suggestive theme in the near-death literature by relating these experiences to a quest for ideal or utopian society.His knowledge of both utopian thought and near-death experi ences (NDEs) is thorough and erudite.Looking at NDEs through the prism of the quest for an ideal society, his view was both optimistic and didactic.By viewing these near-death narratives as imbedded in a pursuit for the ideal society, Kellehear offered hope for positive social change and betterment of the human condition.Further, Kellehear viewed these narratives as offering ideas about the nature of society, therefore as instructive for social meanings rather than purely per sonal illumination or spiritual knowledge.These are intriguing ideas; but do they work?Before addressing this question, I wish to place my remarks in the larger context of doing qualitative research.A close study of Kel