ABSTRACT

Drawing upon a rare and highly original ethnography of contemporary mortuary practices, Representations of Death takes the reader through the medical, bureaucratic, commercial and ritual aspects of death Going behind the scenes at hospitals, funeral parlours, crematoria and cemeteries, as well as holding poignant, in-depth interviews with bereaved women, Bradbury has been able to illuminate the very different perspectives of the deathwork professional and the grieving relative. Illustrated with stunning photographs, this fascinating book makes a significant contribution to the growing literature in death studies.

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

An analysis of contemporary deathways

chapter |21 pages

The study of death

A social psychological approach

chapter |20 pages

Researching death

An urban ethnography

chapter |26 pages

Medicine and bureaucracy

chapter |40 pages

Commerce and ritual

chapter |27 pages

The body

chapter |16 pages

Re-presenting death