Study title

The aim of this research project was to investigate the cultural, social and emotional implications of how we treat people after their death and specifically the development of natural burial. Four key areas of inquiry were pursued: 1)Natural burial as creative resistance to modernist disposal and memorization, eg, does natural burial provide an opportunity for individual choices to be made and/or the opportunity to show environmental awareness?; 2)Natural burial as an aspect of the re-enchantment of death, eg, do natural burial grounds offer their users a place where emotions and feelings are stimulated and expressed rather than contained and suppressed?; 3)Natural burial as symbolic and environmental regeneration, eg, are users of natural burial sites offered the chance to create a shared landscape for burial, wildlife and informal recreation that benefits both nature and society?; and 4)Natural burial as identification, eg, what are the implications of natural burial for the long-term identity of both bereaved people and the deceased? The purpose was to map the extent to which changing trends are shaping the culture of death, both now and in the future. Through longitudinal ethnographic work alongside the building of a Geographical Information System of UK provision, comprehensive data emerged of how natural burial is being materialized in the UK. The dataset includes interview transcriptions with bereaved participants, pre-purchasers, death care professionals and burial ground managers at 4 UK natural burial grounds. The data for each of the 4 ethnographic field sites(A,B,C and D) is grouped around each of those sites. It also includes transcriptions of 3 focus group meetings with members of the public who had no prior experience of natural burial. Finally, it includes a dataset which consists of an excel database of all known natural burial grounds where the research was concluded in September 2010. This project investigates changing approaches to the...