Skip to content Skip to navigation
University of Warwick
  • Study
  • |
  • Research
  • |
  • Business
  • |
  • Alumni
  • |
  • News
  • |
  • About

University of Warwick
Publications service & WRAP

Highlight your research

  • WRAP
    • Home
    • Search WRAP
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse WRAP by Year
    • Browse WRAP by Subject
    • Browse WRAP by Department
    • Browse WRAP by Funder
    • Browse Theses by Department
  • Publications Service
    • Home
    • Search Publications Service
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse Publications service by Year
    • Browse Publications service by Subject
    • Browse Publications service by Department
    • Browse Publications service by Funder
  • Help & Advice
University of Warwick

The Library

  • Login
  • Admin

Condolence books : Language and meaning in the mourning for Hillsborough and Diana

Tools
- Tools
+ Tools

Brennan, Michael (2008) Condolence books : Language and meaning in the mourning for Hillsborough and Diana. Death Studies, Vol.32 (No.4). pp. 326-351. doi:10.1080/07481180801974729

Research output not available from this repository.

Request-a-Copy directly from author or use local Library Get it For Me service.

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07481180801974729

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

This article reports empirical research into public books of condolence signed following two key mourning events within British culture: the 1989 Hillsborough soccer stadium disaster and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. The author suggests that not only do condolence books provide valuable historical record of the way contemporary society mourns, but also that they reflect attempts to language loss in ways that can be used to evaluate the extent of society's engagement with death. In so doing, he points to ways in which condolence messages signed following these events oscillate between "conservative structures of meaning" (Marris, 1974) and contemporary "structures of feeling" (Williams, 1971). In turn he suggests that such distinctions - between public and private, modernity and tradition - are destabilized by the postmodern cultural forms that these events appeared to inaugurate. In addition, and in the purported absence of expressivist mourning rituals (Gorer, 1965), the author suggests that condolence books may provide a useful social platform for the social expression of grief.

Item Type: Journal Item
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GT Manners and customs
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Divisions: Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Condolence notes -- Great Britain, Mourning customs -- Great Britain, Hillsborough Stadium Disaster, Sheffield, England, 1989, Diana, Princess of Wales, 1961-1997 -- Death and burial
Journal or Publication Title: Death Studies
Publisher: Routledge
ISSN: 0748-1187
Official Date: April 2008
Dates:
DateEvent
April 2008Published
Volume: Vol.32
Number: No.4
Number of Pages: 26
Page Range: pp. 326-351
DOI: 10.1080/07481180801974729
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item View Item
twitter

Email us: wrap@warwick.ac.uk
Contact Details
About Us