Tradition and change in contemporary burial practices: cemeteries and sustainability
Date
2013
Authors
Wilson, L.J.
Chiveralls, K.R.
Editors
Osbaldiston, N.
Strong, C.
Forbes-Mewett, H.
Strong, C.
Forbes-Mewett, H.
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Conference paper
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TASA 2013 Conference Proceedings: Reflections, Intersections and Aspirations 50 years of Australian Sociology, 2013 / Osbaldiston, N., Strong, C., Forbes-Mewett, H. (ed./s), pp.1-11
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2013 TASA Conference (25 Nov 2013 - 28 Nov 2013 : Adelaide, South Australia)
Abstract
The burial of the dead has been the concern of both mourners and civic authorities for as long as humans have lived in organised communities. Cemeteries have throughout history provided areas of open space to urban residents for civic activities and the maintenance of traditions, even in the most crowded areas. The emotional challenge of death is sometimes alleviated by traditionalism and continuity in burial forms which can be expressed through the perpetuation of 'collective representations', or patterns of ideas, values, beliefs and expectations that have emerged over time. It is generally easier when addressing the loss of loved ones to follow tradition or religion and normative social practices than to consider new procedures. Nevertheless normative burial practices are subject to cultural change over time. This paper argues that changes in contemporary burial practices in Australia can be understood as being mediated by tensions between cultural traditions, the act of mourning the dead, a regulated land market that restricts the space for attending to the dead, new demands for ecological sustainability, and state regulations relating to burial and mortuary processes.
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Copyright 2013 TASA