A Good Death: the Politics of Physician Assisted Suicide In
A GOOD DEATH: THE POLITICS OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE IN HAWAI`I A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN POLITICIAL SCIENCE AUGUST 2009 BY Lenora H. Lee Dissertation Committee: Kate Zhou Richard W. Chadwick Lawrence H. Nitz Calvin Pang James H. Pietsch ii © 2009, Lenora H. Lee iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A dissertation is a marathon, a work of art that takes time and a deliberate speed. Mahalo Nui Loa To all who stayed the course with me, My family, especially my husband, Doug, My committee members, Kate Zhou, my committee chair, whose motto is “Never Give Up” Richard W. Chadwick Lawrence H. Nitz Calvin Pang James H. Pietsch University of Hawai`i faculty members, Michael Cheang The late Ira Rohter The members of the Hawaii Death with Dignity Society, especially, The late Ah Quon McElrath Scott Foster Juliet Begley The ones at rest at the finish line, William and Rosaline Hee And the one just starting, Arwen Malia Lee iv ABSTRACT This dissertation analyzes the politics of the conflict between the advocates of physician-assisted suicide in Hawaii and their opponents. The first part of this dissertation examines the role of society in deciding whether the individual’s decisions regarding end of life treatment should be governed by morals, ethics and beliefs maintained under the status quo or whether such decisions should also include the option of physician assisted suicide under strict conditions. This part of the study seeks to answer the questions, “What are the end-of-life options that define a “good death” and what are the arguments imbedded in the issue of physician assisted suicide? The second part of this dissertation addresses the politics of winning the battle of physician assisted suicide legislation in Hawaii.
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