Graduation Term
2024
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
School of Communication
Committee Chair
Andrew M Ventimiglia
Abstract
COMMODIFYING THE AMERICAN FUNERAL: IMPACTS ON OUR RITUALS, GRIEF, AND VALUES
REILLY CARD
63 Pages
Death is a universal experience. Everyone will die. With death comes the need to care for the deceased, and the modern solution to caring for the dead is to outsource the work. Today in America the dead are cared for by funeral homes and funeral directors. This study looks at the role commodification plays in the American funeral experiences and, in turn, how that process of commodification impacts the cultural values of the funeral. This study first examines the literature around funerals, rituals, grief and commodification and then provides an analysis of a series of semi-structured narrative interviews with individuals who have recently planned a funeral. The themes discovered through thematic analysis are broken down into two categories: experiences and values. Experiences describe how the events of funeral planning took place and the effects those funeral planning decisions had on the participants. Values touch on the deeper meanings of funerals and what beliefs participants attribute to the funeral. Keywords: funerals, grief, liminality, commodification, qualitative interviews
Access Type
Thesis-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Card, Reilly, "Commodifying the American Funeral: Impacts on Our Rituals, Grief and Values" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 1892.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd/1892
DOI
https://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2024.20240618063948228561.999986