Skip to content
Skip to main content
header search
ahihi OpenLearn
OpenLearn
Menu
sticky search
Author: Erica Seruset Borgstrom

Death around the world

Updated Friday, 3 November 2023

Although we all die, how we mark the end of a life varies between places and cultures. This article and associated animation explores different customs and traditions that people around the world perform in relation to death.

Find out more about The Open University's Health and Social Care courses and qualifications.

Rituals can be an incredibly important feature of what happens after someone dies. There are often specific rituals – rites, ceremonies, or practices – and actions that are performed to mark the death. Some are designed to help the departed in their transition between the humanly world and the afterlife. Some rituals can help reduce the anxiety or distress of the bereaved, giving them something to focus on and a way to connect with those around them. And whilst we may often think of rituals as being ‘traditionally’, many are constantly evolving and are shaped by shifting cultural values and technology.  

So, which country has professional mourners and where were funerals live-streamed before the practice became so popular during the Covid pandemic? You can find out more in this short cartoon, where Dr. Erica Borgstrom explores some of the different customs and traditions that people throughout the world perform in relation to the end of life.




PDF document Transcript 17.9 KB

Find out more

  • An introduction to death, dying and grief

    An introduction to death, dying and grief

    Explore interesting and challenging ideas around death, dying and grief. This free course, An introduction to death, dying and grief, invites you to think more deeply about death and dying and encourages you to think about it in different ways. This course will introduce you to different perspectives on death; ethical issues related to dying and...

    Learn more to access more details of An introduction to death, dying and grief
  • Death and medicine: postponement and promise

    Death and medicine: postponement and promise

    This free course, Death and medicine: postponement and promise, helps you to explore the extent to which death and dying in western societies are medical events and what aspects of death and dying might be neglected as a consequence. The course covers the way that such things as medicine provide the context of the experiences associated with the...

    Learn more to access more details of Death and medicine: postponement and promise
  • Beyond belief: talking to the dead

    Beyond belief: talking to the dead

    Are paranormal experiences real? Can being 'spiritual' help with the way you feel about death, dying and grief? This film interactive delves into spiritual healing and your views on life after death...

    Take part now to access more details of Beyond belief: talking to the dead
 

Become an OU student

Author

Ratings & Comments

Share this free course

Also in Open Thanatology Hub

Freeing people caught between life and death article icon

Health, Sports & Psychology

Freeing people caught between life and death

Terrible accidents can leave some patients locked-in: awake but unaware. Roger Highfield meets the people seeking ways to free them.

Article
15 mins
Grief and the body: mourning in ancient Rome article icon

History & The Arts

Grief and the body: mourning in ancient Rome

In Ancient Rome was physically violent mourning seen as a true manifestation of the mourners’ grief, or was the bodily expression a performance?

Article
5 mins
Walking the walk: improving death and dying spaces article icon

Health, Sports & Psychology

Walking the walk: improving death and dying spaces

Have you ever considered how the location and spaces in end-of-life care impact on a carer’s experience? Let's look at how attention to detail can make a huge difference.

Article
5 mins
What is it like for a doctor to pronounce a patient dead? article icon

Health, Sports & Psychology

What is it like for a doctor to pronounce a patient dead?

First year resident Shara Yurkiewicz shares her experience of performing the last task for a patient.

Article
5 mins
How COVID-19 challenges our notion of a good death article icon

Health, Sports & Psychology

How COVID-19 challenges our notion of a good death

Erica Borgstrom, a medical anthropologist and lecturer at The Open University, explores why death from coronavirus is not the type of death we expect.

Article
10 mins
What should I expect when I am nearing the end of my life? article icon

Health, Sports & Psychology

What should I expect when I am nearing the end of my life?

Death is part of life and is something we all need to face; not only our own death, but the deaths of those around us. Many of us are unprepared for this major event in our lives.

Article
5 mins
What are the rules around assisted suicide? activity icon

Health, Sports & Psychology

What are the rules around assisted suicide?

What are the legalities of assisted suicide, is it accessible for all and should it be?

Activity
5 mins
Tolstoy and the search for the meaning of life article icon

History & The Arts

Tolstoy and the search for the meaning of life

Works such as War and Peace indicate Tolstoy struggled with the meaning of life. This piece explores his pondering of life and death. 

Article
15 mins
Making connections in end-of-life conversations: essential tips for professionals video icon

Health, Sports & Psychology

Making connections in end-of-life conversations: essential tips for professionals

Patient preference in end-of-life conversations can depend on multiple factors; this article and animation offer guidance for health and social care professionals.

Video
5 mins

Copyright information

Skip Rate and Review

For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need.

Have a question?

Share this video