Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries 2026: Call for Papers

The Cemetery Research Group invites you to participate in the Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries, which will take place entirely online on 20 November 2026.

About the Colloquium

On Friday, 20 November 2026, the Cemetery Research Group will host a virtual colloquium via Zoom.

The event will focus on places and practices relating to the disposal of the dead, including burial, cremation, and other methods.

Tickets for the colloquium will be available on the CRG website from 9 October 2026.

Call for Papers

The colloquium invites scholars working in the social sciences and humanities, as well as postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to submit papers that combine theoretical insight with empirical research on the proposed theme.

Each presentation will be allocated a 30-minute slot, comprising approximately 20 minutes for the presentation followed by time for questions and discussion. The event is open to contributors from around the world, and panels will be scheduled to accommodate different time zones. All presentations must be delivered in English.

Abstracts may be submitted via this Google Form by 2 October 2026.

For any questions, please contact Dr Julie Rugg at julie.rugg@york.ac.uk.

Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries 2025: Program and Registration

Registration is now open for the Cemetery Research Group’s Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries, taking place on 21 November 2025.

About the Colloquium

On Friday, 21 November 2025, a free of charge virtual colloquium organized by the Cemetery Research Group will take place via Zoom.

The event will focus on places and practices relating to the disposal of the dead, including burial, cremation, and other methods. This year’s keynote speaker is Ruth E. Toulson (Maryland Institute College of Art), who will deliver a presentation titled “The Last Cemetery: Shifting Deathscapes in Contemporary Singapore”.

Program and registration

Papers will be delivered in four sessions throughout the day. You can find the entire program HERE.

To attend, please use this Google Form to register for the sessions you wish to join. You will receive invitations to your selected sessions a few days before the conference.

Registration deadline: 14 November 2025

For any questions, please contact Dr. Julie Rugg at julie.rugg@york.ac.uk.

Invitation to the Virtual Colloquium on cemeteries 2025

The Cemetery Research Group invites you to participate in the Virtual Colloquium on cemeteries, taking place entirely online on 21 November 2025.

About the Colloquium

On Friday, 21 November 2025, a virtual colloquium organized by the Cemetery Research Group will take place via Zoom.

The event will focus on places and practices relating to the disposal of the dead, including burial, cremation, and other methods. This year’s keynote speaker is Ruth E. Toulson (Maryland Institute College of Art), who will deliver a presentation titled “The Last Cemetery: Shifting Deathscapes in Contemporary Singapore”.

Tickets for the colloquium will be available on the CRG website starting 11 October 2025.

Call for Papers

The colloquium invites researchers from the social sciences and humanities, as well as postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to submit papers that combine theoretical insight with empirical research on the proposed theme.

Each presentation will have a thirty-minute slot, allowing roughly twenty minutes for the talk and time for questions. The event is open to contributors from around the world, with panels arranged to accommodate different time zones. All presentations must be in English.

Abstracts can be submitted via this Google Form by 1 October 2025.

For any questions please contact Dr Julie Rugg at julie.rugg@york.ac.uk.

New book series

In related publishing news, Routledge has launched a new book series titled “Accommodating the Dead: Materialities, Rituals and Technologies”. The series explores the evolving and multi-faceted study of the dead body and the diverse ways humans engage with it, with an international and interdisciplinary scope.

Invitation to the 3rd Virtual Colloquium on cemeteries

The Cemetery Research Group invites you to participate in the 3rd Virtual Colloquium on cemeteries, taking place on 15th November 2024 via Zoom.

About the event

On Friday, 15th November 2024, a virtual colloquium organized by the Cemetery Research Group will take place via the Zoom platform.

The main theme is cemeteries and death practices, focusing on how burial and commemoration customs intersect with social, cultural, and political changes across different countries and historical periods. Speakers from around the world will address a range of subjects, including the transformation of funeral practices, the architectural and legal aspects of cemeteries, and the evolving role of cemeteries in urban settings.

This year's keynote speaker is professor Andrew Kipnis, who has written extensively on funeral practices in China. His presentation, titled "Ghosts, Urbanization, and Strangers in China and Hong Kong", will offer insightful perspectives on these themes.

The full programme with the list of speakers and their topics is available HERE.

Registration details

Attendance at the virtual colloquium is free of charge, but registration is required to secure your spot and receive Zoom invitations to the sessions you wish to attend.

To register, please complete the form at this LINK. Deadline for registration is 8th November 2023.

For any additional questions, please contact Dr. Julie Rugg at julierugg36@gmail.com.

*Photo source: https://www.cemeteryresearch.org/events/

The Cemetery Research Group website

We present to you the newly relaunched website created by the Cemetery Research Group (CRG).

ASCE members actively engage and contribute to a diverse range of projects, research and discussions related to cemeteries. That's why you will find a special section on ASCE website dedicated to research and science on cemeteries.

Even so, we believe that sharing knowledge is important, thus we now present to you the newly relaunched website created by the Cemetery Research Group (CRG), operating independently of the esteemed University of York. The Cemetery Research Group is committed to expanding our understanding of current and historical funeral culture, not only in the UK but also across the globe. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, they delve into how emotional, religious and social concerns have been framed by economic and political imperatives.

This new website serves as a platform where individuals can explore a wealth of information, and contribute to the collective understanding of cemeteries. Whether you are an academic, a professional in the field, or simply passionate about the subject, we welcome you to visit the website and actively engage in this enriching community.

You can access the website on this link www.cemeteryresearch.org.