Abstract
Choosing to have a body embalmed, the choice of interment locations and type, including the selection of a particular casket, are all deeply intertwined with various understandings of the afterlife, and views of the body after death. Consumer choices in these cases are often determined by imagined embodiment, and are determined in part by non-rational consumer choices based on religious upbringing and belief. In turn, diasporic and religious identity can be reinforced and solidified through consumer choices that then fulfill religious imaginations of post-death embodiment. This article traces the relationship of two consumer death goods—embalming and caskets—in the contemporary United States, examining both the implicit and explicit relationships these products have with religious worldviews, mapping the social impact of religious beliefs on consumer death choices.
Highlights
In the contemporary United States, the death business is booming, and more and more retailers are moving into the death industry market
Consumer choices in these cases are often determined by imagined embodiment, and are determined in part by non-rational consumer choices based on religious upbringing and belief
Consumer choices in deathcare goods and services are not solely determined by religious beliefs and proclivities: various factors such as finances, wills, and geographical and cultural influences influence disposal choices, and the various complexities of consumer choices make it difficult to point to a core factor such as religiosity. Acknowledging these limitations, this article examines the relationship of two specific consumer death goods—embalming and casket choice—with both the implicit and explicit relationships these goods and services have with religious worldviews, and researching the differences of deathcare consumer choices between religious actors of various faiths
Summary
In the contemporary United States, the death business is booming, and more and more retailers are moving into the death industry market. Choosing to have a body embalmed, the choice of interment locations and type, including the selection of a particular casket, are not merely consumer choices based on price and availability, but are deeply intertwined with various understandings of the afterlife, and the views of the body after death. Consumer choices in these cases are often determined by imagined embodiment, and are determined in part by non-rational consumer choices based on religious upbringing and belief. Acknowledging these limitations, this article examines the relationship of two specific consumer death goods—embalming and casket choice—with both the implicit and explicit relationships these goods and services have with religious worldviews, and researching the differences of deathcare consumer choices between religious actors of various faiths
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