1. in Sweden and Norway a sociological perspective
Death & the Dead
in Sweden and Norway
a sociological perspective

2. A strange topic?
Academic (and public?) interest in the way we handle death, dying and the dead is increasing rapidly
Related, partly, to the trend to do research on ageing and what it means to be elderly (and dying) today
Taboo being lifted? The taboo-debate – death is everywhere, but do we actually deal with it?

3. A sociological perspective (more or less)
The text is written by an ethnologist…
”The social construction of death”, notions of death differ a lot, no clear ontology
Degree of ritualisation, private/public practices, collective/individual, places and objects used etc.
Critique of common notion of bereavement from the social science – normal to establish ”continuing bonds”

4. Valentine (2008:4): ”..by adopting a sociological perspective (…) it is no longer a question of what is ’real’, but how people act in relation to what they take to be ’real’ and meaningful for them.”
The way we handle the dead shouldn’t be restricted by normative assumptions (see Fonus homepage)
What meanings are ascribed to death, the dying and the dead? Emotional content in this, shared imagination
The transformation of meaning, when and why?

5. What is currently being researched?
Bereavement as process, relationships between the living and the dead (CBs)
Virtual graveyards on, for instance, Facebook
The use of internet to honour the dead (in loving memory of), muchloved.com memorialwebsites.legacy.com forevermissed.com/memorial-sites-for-loved-ones
New rituals – for mourning, when it comes to burials, coffins etc.
(Comparisons beteween countries all over the world)

6. Death, Dying and Bereavement in Sweden and Norway
Compares death and dying in Norway and Sweden – looks at cemeteries, graves and memorial sites
Three different case studies: Symbols, collective rituals and expressions of bereavement on the internet
The role of religion
Where is the dead person? Can a dead person receive messages?

7. Symbols
1990s and 2000s – many changes when it comes to pictorial symbols and epitaphs on gravestones, in cities as well as in rural areas
Interviews with visitors at cemeteries, people more willing to talk about grief etc. now than in the 80s – in both Norway and Sweden
More and more common to place objects in front of or on top of the gravestone – personalization
Liberal legislation (90s) allow for individual expressions

8. Symbols cont.
Christian symbols more common on Norwegian graves, references to God, Lord and Jesus, Bible texts, “We’ll meet again”
Are people more religious in Norway? Or are they more traditional? (Is that the same thing?)
On Swedish graves – sunrises, birds and other non-religious symbols. Sign of secularization or just another way of expressing religious beliefs?
The grave a link to the dead in Sweden

9. Collective rituals
Research from the beginning of 2000s – collective rituals used when death is sudden (young or famous people)
Roadside memorials where accidents have taken place (started to appear in the 90s) – new type of sacred site
Crosses may have a preventive function – drive carefully!
Also flowers, candles and so on, especially in Sweden where the cross is often seen as quite a ”heavy” symbol
Collective, open expressions of grief more common, in both countries

10. Bereavement on the internet
Research on the internet since beginning of 2000s, sites open to the public
Explosion of memorial sites, especially in Sweden
The deceased is often believed to be in heaven and can receive messages, angels a common theme, Christian symbols overall more common on Norwegian sites
Differences depending on the age of the deceased and cause of death – a slight difference between Norway and Sweden when it comes to suicides

11. Concluding remarks A quite descriptive text, not a lot of analysis…
Individualism – but most people still seem to be “followers” rather than anything else?!
What is it to be religious? How much and what do you have to believe in order to be defined as religious?
Grief on display (on internet and in public) - grief more accepted or the need for confirmation?

12. To discuss:
Are you expected to attend funerals, visit graves etc. in your home country?
How is grief expressed, privately, collectively, when you’re alone, with your friends?
Are you supposed to ”let the deceased go”, or can there be a bond/relationship?
What are the benefits and the problems of virtual graves on Facebook and similar sites?