Cares for Tomorrow
Everyone comes into contact with death sooner or later. This is why the funeral industry is fundamental to our society. Yet one question often remains underexposed: what actually happens to the body after death?
In this project, we focus our gaze on the future of funeral care. We want to contribute to innovative and sustainable solutions to the growing challenges the sector faces. Contemporary societal challenges such as pandemics, the climate crisis, or multiculturalism show us that we need to rethink the care for the dead.
- What are the ethical considerations in ecological burial methods?
- How do we ensure that as many people as possible can make choices in line with their wishes and beliefs or those of their loved ones?
- What should a government do when religious considerations clash with medical measures when organising a funeral?
- What status does the dead body have, and what does it mean to treat human remains respectfully?
Scientific and social progress
This interdisciplinary project, created at the request of and in collaboration with the Flemish and Belgian funeral industry, works towards scientific progress in four areas:
- Legal framework (a revision of the law on funerals
- Environmental impact of our funeral choices
- Socio-cultural diversity (difference in burial needs)
- Public health crises (funerals during/after catastrophes)
If you would like to dive into this fascinating subject with us, please take a look at our project page.
Support this project
The research on death care is an FWO-funded project. Additional resources are needed to research the many, increasingly complex challenges. Therefore, we are always looking for partners or private donors to help support the research. Contact the University Fund to discuss the possibilities or make a donation.
