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Cited by 25Palliative Care and End-of-Life IssuesPalliative and Oncologic CareDeath, Funerary Practices, and Mourning

Performing care: emotion work and ‘dignity work’ – a joint autoethnography of caring for our mum at the end of life

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Wilkinson, Samantha, Wilkinson, Catherine·2020·Sociology of Health & Illness
DOI 10.1111/1467-9566.13174
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Abstract

In this paper we, twin sisters, present a joint autoethnographic account of providing end of life care for our mum who had terminal cancer. Using the theoretical framing of performance from Goffman's theory of Dramaturgy, we present the findings from a joint autoethnography, focusing on two key themes: performing emotion work and performing what we conceptualise as ‘dignity work’. This paper's contributions are twofold. First, conceptually, this paper offers an important contribution to literature concerned with the sociology of illness, by critically engaging with Goffman's notion of frontstage and backstage performance, applied to the context of home care provided by family carers. The second contribution of this paper is methodological; we promote the under‐utilised approach of a joint autoethnography and argue for its usefulness in the context of end of life care. We contend that the process of writing this paper was emotionally challenging, yet arriving at the final paper, which serves as a legacy of our mum, was cathartic. We argue for the usefulness of written diaries as a backstage arena through which other informal carers can think through, and come to terms with, experiences of death and dying.

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  1. Mendez, M. (2013) Autoethnography as a research method: advantages, limitations and criticisms, Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 15, 2, 279-87.

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Authors
Wilkinson, S., & Wilkinson, C.
Affiliations
  • Manchester Metropolitan University (GB)
  • Liverpool John Moores University (GB)
Corresponding author
Wilkinson, Samantha
ORCID
Venue
Sociology of Health & Illness
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-09-18
Volume
42
Issue
8
Pages
1888-1901
ISSN
  • 0141-9889 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-9566
DOI
10.1111/1467-9566.13174
OpenAlex
W3087686677
Cited by
25
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4
FWCI
2.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Sociology of Health & Illness (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • e-space (Manchester Metropolitan University) (acceptedVersion)
  • Liverpool John Moores University (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
Keywords
end-of-life care, emotional labor, dramaturgy, front stage and back stage, family caregivers, home care, terminal cancer, sociology of illness, death and dying, informal care
MeSH terms
Respect, Death, Emotions, Humans, Terminal Care, Caregivers

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