Changing European Death Ways

In this volume scholars in the broad, interdisciplinary field of thanatology afford valuable insights in changing European death ways. The first part presents studies on a conceptual level for various aspects of death studies. In a second segment different European societies are compared on a national level, while in the final part religious beliefs, attitudes, practices and other worldview-related issues are covered. In this book countries, disciplines and worldviews meet, providing a framework and starting a profound comparative dialogue on challenges the field is confronted with. A framework, we also hope that will be expanded by many scholars and be useful for practitioners.

The Centre for Thanatology (Radboud University Nijmegen) conducts research into socio-cultural and religious aspects of death, dying and bereavement. 

Eric Venbrux is professor of religious studies at Radboud University Nijmegen. He conducted anthropological fieldwork in Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Romania and Denmark. He specializes in death studies and published extensively on mortuary rituals.

Thomas Quartier teaches Liturgical and Ritual Studies at Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands). He is the author of Bridging the gaps. An empirical study of Catholic funeral rites (Berlin etc.: Lit 2007) and Die Grenze des Todes. Ritualisierte Religiosität im Umgang mit den Toten (Berlin etc.: Lit 2011).

Claudia Venhorst is a postdoc researcher at the faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies at the Radboud University Nijmegen. Her field of research focuses on death studies related to Muslim diversity, migration and end-of-life care.

Brenda Mathijssen is a PhD researcher at the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen. Her thesis explores the role of religion in contemporary Dutch society, by studying the ways wherein Christian tradition relates to individual people's religiosity and spirituality in the face of death.