Alzheimer’s Disease, Media Representations and the Politics of Euthanasia: Constructing Risk and Selling Death in an Ageing Society

246 Pages·2014·1.31 MB·English

by  Megan-Jane Johnstone

Alzheimer’s DiseAse,
meDiA representAtions AnD the
politics of euthAnAsiA
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Alzheimer’s Disease,
media representations and the
politics of euthanasia
constructing risk and selling Death in an Ageing society
megAn-JAne Johnstone
Deakin University, Australia
© megan-Jane Johnstone 2013
All rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
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recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
megan-Jane Johnstone has asserted her right under the copyright, Designs and patents Act,
1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Johnstone, megan-Jane.
Alzheimer’s disease, media representations and the politics of euthanasia : constructing
risk and selling death in an ageing society.
1. Alzheimer’s disease--public opinion. 2. euthanasia--public opinion.
3. mass media and public opinion. 4. Alzheimer’s disease--patients--care. 5. euthanasia--
law and legislation.
i. title
362.1'96831-dc23
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Johnstone, megan-Jane.
Alzheimer’s disease, media representations, and the politics of euthanasia : constructing
risk and selling death in an ageing society / by megan-Jane Johnstone.
pages ; cm
includes bibliographical references and index.
isBn 978-1-4094-5192-1 (hardback) -- isBn 978-1-4094-5193-8 (ebook)
1. Alzheimer’s disease--patients--palliative treatment--moral and ethical aspects.
2. medical ethics. 3. health in mass media. i. title.
rc523.J643 2013
179.7--dc23
2012034192
isBn 9781409451921 (hbk)
isBn 9781409451938 (ebk – pDf)
isBn 9781472401113 (ebk – epuB)
II
printed and bound in great Britain by the
mpg Books group, uK.
Contents
List of Figures vii
List of Tables and Boxes ix
Foreword xi
Preface xvii
Acknowledgements xix
List of Abbreviations xxi
1 The Alzheimerization of the Euthanasia Debate 1
2 The Incidence and Impact of Alzheimer’s Disease 15
3 Media Representations, Metaphors,
and the Stigmatization of Alzheimer’s Disease 23
4 Curbing Demand for Acute Healthcare Services 49
5 The Euthanasia Option 63
6 Mobilizing Political Support for the Legalization of Euthanasia 77
7 Propaganda, ‘Dirty Tricks’ Fallacies, and Opposing Points-of-View 89
8 Selling Death 127
9 Alzheimer’s Disease and Euthanasia as a
Symbolic System of Control 145
10 Euthanasia Politics and Public Opinion 177
Bibliography 189
Index 215
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List of Figures
7.1 Iconic image: Nazi threat in euthanasia 105
7.2 Iconic image: Euthanasia supporters burnt offerings 106
9.1 ‘16th April 2008 Parliament Steps Rally to support
Dying with Dignity Bill today’ 163
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List of Tables and Boxes
Tables
1.1 Units of analysis (original study) 8
2.1 Characteristics of dementia subtypes 16
5.1 Six types of euthanasia 65
5.2 Structure of the debate on euthanasia/physician assisted suicide 70
5.3 Principal arguments supporting and opposing
euthanasia/physician assisted suicide 72
5.4 Philosophical syllogisms 73
7.1 Summary of nurse response rates (per cent) to
Cartwright et al. surveys 101
8.1 Keyword search (individual terms) 134
8.2 Keyword search (combined terms) 134
Boxes
3.1 Use of the Alzheimer metaphor and related frames (News media) 27
3.2 Use of the Alzheimer metaphor and related frames
(Films and reviews) 28
3.3 Use of the Alzheimer metaphor and related frames (Documentaries) 29
3.4 Use of the Alzheimer metaphor and related frames
(Professional-academic literature) 30
3.5 The Epidemic metaphor 35
3.6 The Military metaphor (Enemy frame) 36
3.7 The Military metaphor (Alien Invader frame) 37
3.8 The Predatory Thief metaphor 39
4.1 Publications on rationing medical care for the aged and people with
Alzheimer’s disease/dementia (circa 1980s–1990s) 49
6.1 Aristotle’s foundational principles of modern persuasion 84