This work approaches the study of death-related practices online with a focus on lived experiences. For example how bereaved individuals engage with the digital remains of their deceased loved ones and how experiences of death dying and grief are shaped by evolving digital media technology and services. It also encompasses enquiry into changing attitudes towards death and the management of death, dying and bereavement which include important questions about agency, privacy, ownership and control.
AIMS
The aims are to contribute theoretically and methodologically in the field of death and dying (and in related subfields of media and communication, cultural studies, sociology, psychology, and sociocultural linguistics) and to public discourses and practices around death and dying, and bereavement through creative explorations of these issues with relevant organisations, charities and the public.
FUNDERS
The project has received funding from the Open University Health and Wellbeing Research Fund and support from the Wellcome Trust.
Hård af Segerstad, Y., Bell, J., and Yeshua-Katz. D. (forthcoming 2021). Designed to Die: On the ephemerality and obsolescence of digital remains. AoIR Selected Papers of Internet Research (accepted for publication May 2020).
Hård af Segerstad, Y., Bell, J., Giaxoglou, K., Pitsillides, S., Yeshua-Katz. D., Cumiskey, K., and Hjorth, L. (forthcoming 2020) Taboo or not taboo: (in)visibilities of death, dying and bereavement. Panel discussion at Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) 21st annual conference (forthcoming, Dublin Ireland / now online October 2020).
PROJECT TEAM
Ylva Hård af Segerstad (PI)
Jo Bell
Korina Giaxoglou
Stacey Pitsillides
Dorthe Refslund Christensen
CONTACT
Dr Jo Bell – J.Bell@hull.ac.uk