How do we dispose of our dead? Academics from the University of Bath will be discussing three different points of view at a free seminar next week.
It is being organised by the Centre for Death & Society (CDAS) and will be focussed around research presented by its members.
Dr Kate Woodthorpe, who is the programme leader on the University’s foundation degree in funeral services, will look at anatomical pathology in her presentation “Working in a hospital mortuary”.
Dr John Troyer, deputy director of CDAS, will deliver a presentation called “The Greener Shade of Death” looking at heat capture technology at Bath’s Haycombe Crematorium.
Finally Dr Brian Parsons, lecturer and editor of the Funeral Service Journal, will look at the “Management of Civilian Funerals in the Second World War”.
Dr Troyer said: “The seminar looks at some of the modern and new methods of disposing of our dead and how they are not dissimilar to 70 years ago.
“Green burials have become very popular in recent years but this is more complicated than it sounds.
“There are concerns about emissions coming from crematoriums so there are now new ways of doing this which involve a very different way of thinking about the dead body.”
The free seminar, will be held at the Claverton Campus in 8 West 2.23 between 10.15am and 1pm on Friday 10 December. Anyone in interested in attending should email CDAS.