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Question: Explain considerations that are taken into account when dealing with human remains. Use scholary views to support your arguments.
Dealing with human remains is a sensitive subject, given its cultural, religious, and ethical implications. Professionals often step in to navigate these complexities with the utmost respect and reverence. Here are a few considerations: 1. Ethical Considerations: According to ethicist Norman K. Swazo, human remains should be treated with dignity, respect, and caution. Recognizing that human remains were once living individuals, who had a family, a culture, and a history, underlines the importance of ensuring their respectful treatment (Swazo, 2002). 2. Legal considerations: Each country has different laws and guidelines dictating how human remains must be dealt with. For instance, England’s Burial Act 1857 prohibits the unauthorized removal of a human body or any part of such a body from a burial site (Lindey et al., 2020). 3. Religious and Cultural Perspectives: Every culture, tribe, religion, or tradition has different beliefs and practices related to death and the dead. For example, archaeologists Parker Pearson (1999) expresses that in some cultures, digging up and examining remains is considered highly disrespectful, while in others it's seen as a way of remembering and honoring the dead. 4. Archaeological Research: Archaeologists often have to balance the pursuit of knowledge with respect for the dead. They should consider the potential benefits their research could have on humanity, against the possible disrespect and distress their activities could cause communities connected to the remains (Tilley and Prangnell, 2009). 5. Public Sentiment: The public's views on the preservation, display, and study of human remains have become increasingly important. For example, Jenkins (2008) suggests museums should involve communities in decision-making processes regarding the display and storage of human remains. 6. Repatriation and Reburial: Many communities demand the return of their ancestors' remains from museums and universities. Repatriation policies indicate that the descendants' rights and wishes are to be prioritized, acknowledging their ongoing connection and emotional ties with their ancestors' remains (Hubert and Fforde, 2002). 7. Consent: If human remains are to be used for research purposes, obtaining consent is critically important. Ethically, individuals or groups closely related to the deceased should have a say regarding post-mortem studies (NLG Ethical Working Group, 2018). These considerations form a complex web around the handling of human remains. The task calls for a well-informed, respectful, culturally sensitive, and ethical approach.
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