Doing Death Research Interviews and Career Reflections with Death Studies Scholars

Preface

Erica Borgstrom, Bethan Michael-Fox and Arnar Árnason

1. Reflections on ‘doing’ death: a conversation with Jenny Hockey on her life and work.

Natalie Richardson and Jenny Hockey

2. Looking at death in the many contexts of life Margaret Holloway in conversation with Peter Jupp

Margaret Holloway and Peter Jupp

3. Liquid immortality – an interview with Zygmunt Bauman

Michael Hviid Jacobsen and Michael C. Kearl

4. Culture, contexts and connections: a conversation with Dennis Klass about his life and work as a bereavement scholar

Edith Maria Steffen and Dennis Klass

5. Sociology, mortality and solidarity. An Interview with Zygmunt Bauman on death, dying and immortality.

Michael Hviid Jacobsen and Douglas J. Davies

6. Foreign bodies: a conversation between Yasmin Gunaratnam and Ali Eisa.

Yasmin Gunaratnam and Ali Eisa

7. African American funeral directors as culture keepers: an interview with Karla Holloway

Kami Fletcher

8. To live and die in an age of extinction: a conversation with Juno Salazar Parreñas

Marie-Thérèse Talensby and Juno Salazar Parreñas

9. Living and dying on the edge in the digital age. An interview with Andrei Vieru on why closure and boundaries matter in science, art, and life

Adela Toplean

10. Study of dying, compassionate communities, and unobtrusive research: a conversation with Allan Kellehear on his life and work

Samantha Hooker

11. Bridging the divides in bereavement research: a conversation with Colin Murray Parkes

Caroline Pearce and Colin Murray Parkes

12. ‘Well, cut a long story short’ – an interview with Professor Douglas Davies, FBA.

Jennifer Riley and Douglas Davies

13. Contemplating a career in death and dying- an interview with Tony Walter

Michael Hviid Jacobsen

14. From cops & robbers to death and dying: sociologist George E. Dickinson reflects on his career

Candi Cann and George. E. Dickinson

15. “What have I done?”: an interview with Dr. Lauren J. Breen about her career path and her vision for a grief literate society

Carrie Traher and Lauren J. Breen

16. Public engagement, pedagogy and edgework in death studies: Ruth Penfold-Mounce in

conversation with Bethan Michael-Fox

Ruth Penfold-Mounce and Bethan Michael-Fox

Preface

Erica Borgstrom, Bethan Michael-Fox and Arnar Árnason

1. Reflections on ‘doing’ death: a conversation with Jenny Hockey on her life and work.

Natalie Richardson and Jenny Hockey

2. Looking at death in the many contexts of life Margaret Holloway in conversation with Peter Jupp

Margaret Holloway and Peter Jupp

3. Liquid immortality – an interview with Zygmunt Bauman.

Michael Hviid Jacobsen and Michael C. Kearl

4. Culture, contexts and connections: a conversation with Dennis Klass about his life and work as a bereavement scholar

Edith Maria Steffen and Dennis Klass

5. Sociology, mortality and solidarity. An Interview with Zygmunt Bauman on death, dying and immortality.

Michael Hviid Jacobsen and Douglas J. Davies

6. Foreign bodies: a conversation between Yasmin Gunaratnam and Ali Eisa.

Yasmin Gunaratnam and Ali Eisa

7. African American funeral directors as culture keepers: an interview with Karla Holloway

Kami Fletcher

8. To live and die in an age of extinction: a conversation with Juno Salazar Parreñas

Marie-Thérèse Talensby and Juno Salazar Parreñas

9. Living and dying on the edge in the digital age. An interview with Andrei Vieru on why closure and boundaries matter in science, art, and life

Adela Toplean

10. Study of dying, compassionate communities, and unobtrusive research: a conversation with Allan Kellehear on his life and work

Samantha Hooker

11. Bridging the divides in bereavement research: a conversation with Colin Murray Parkes

Caroline Pearce and Colin Murray Parkes

12. ‘Well, cut a long story short’ – an interview with Professor Douglas Davies, FBA.

Jennifer Riley and Douglas Davies

13. Contemplating a career in death and dying- an interview with Tony Walter

Michael Hviid Jacobsen

14. From cops & robbers to death and dying: sociologist George E. Dickinson reflects on his career

Candi Cann and George. E. Dickinson

15. “What have I done?”: an interview with Dr. Lauren J. Breen about her career path and her vision for a grief literate society

Carrie Traher and Lauren J. Breen

16. Public engagement, pedagogy and edgework in death studies: Ruth Penfold-Mounce in conversation with Bethan Michael-Fox

Ruth Penfold-Mounce and Bethan Michael-Fox

Biography

Bethan Michael-Fox is Lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University in the United Kingdom. She has been the Mortality Managing Editor since 2020.

Erica Borgstrom is Professor of Medical Anthropology at The Open University in the United Kingdom. She was Mortality Co-Editor-in-Chief from 2020 to 2024.

Arnar Árnason is Senior Lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He has been Mortality Co-Editor-in-Chief since 2016.