Tok Thompson, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Ghost stories are often about the departed seeking justice for an earthly wrong. Their sightings are a reminder that ethics and morality transcend our lives.
An illustrated depiction of a scene of Lincoln lying in state.
Internet Archive Book Images
Dying in America 200 years ago was a simply family affair, devoid of pomp. The US Civil War and Abraham Lincoln's embrace of embalming changed everything.
Confucius sculpture, Nanjing, China.
Kevinsmithnyc, via Wikimedia Commons
Although 'Game of Thrones' -style funeral pyres are still out of bounds, Americans are increasingly turning to cheaper, greener and more meaningful ways to dispose of their loved ones' bodies.
Halloween parade in New York.
AP Photo/Andres Kudacki