Annual Workshop on Death Rituals

Scholars from different European countries gathered together for two days to discuss death rituals in contemporary, western countries; end of life rituals in hospitals; death rituals and religious diversity; grief therapy in today’s context; migrants’ burials in Southern Italy; afterlife imaginaries; contemporary ars moriendi as well as the use of new technologies while grieving. 

On the second day a field trip took place. The group visited a funeral chapel and had a discussion with undertakers in Fribourg. One the same morning they also visited in Fribourg the only privately-owned crematorium of Switzerland and had a Q&A session with its manager/technician.

List of participants

Anne Kjaersgaard (Postdoc, University of Aarhus, DK) 

Brenda Mathijssen (PhD, University of Groningen NL)

Christian Grosse (Prof., University of Lausanne, CH)

Christoph Jedan (Prof., University of Groningen NL)

Daniela Stauffacher (PhD candidate, University of Zürich, CH)

Dorothea Lüddeckens (Prof., University of Zürich, CH) (tbc)

Eric Venbrux (Prof., Radboud University Nijmegen, NL)

François Gauthier (Prof., University of Fribourg, CH)

Hannah Rumble (PhD, UK)

Isabelle Kostecki (PhD candidate, Université de Fribourg/UQAM, CH/CAN)

Kaarina Koski (Lecturer, University of Turku, FIN)

Katri Ratia (PhD, University of Fribourg, CH)

Linda Woodhead (Prof., University of Lancaster, UK)

Maria Hämmerli (PhD, University of Fribourg, CH)

Marika Moisseeff (PhD, Collège de France/EHESS, FR)

Michael Houseman (Prof., Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, FR)

Miguel Lompré (PhD candidate, Université de Montréal, CAN)

Robin Jolissaint (PhD candidate, University of Fribourg, CH)

Sonja Kmec (Prof., Université du Luxembourg, LU)

Stephanie Majerus (PhD candidate, University of Fribourg, CH)

Terhi Utriainen (Prof., University of Helsinki, FIN)