PANEL: (RE)AFFIRMING DEATH: MATERIAL AND IMMATERIAL APPROACHES TO DEATH AND DYING
11/07/2025 11:00 - 17:30
HALL: Lecture Hall 07

Proponent: Di Cosmo A.P., Graffeo A., Sabatini R.

Chair: Di Cosmo A.P., Graffeo A., Sabatini R.

Speaker: Ballestrazzi L., Baron G.B., Borgen M., Byrski L., D'Agostino E., Di Cosmo A.P., Fritsch-Oppermann S., Germano N., Graffeo A., Leal M., Lee D., Martino M., Nemes M., Ropelato T., Sabatini R., Zochios S.

Is Death, nowadays, still pornographic (cfr. G. Gorer, "The Pornography of Death", «Encounter», 5(4), 1955, 49-52)? Or does it have a new undeniable, prismatic and productive role in contemporary society? Which are the characteristics and the configurations of its, elusive or concrete, presence in today's interconnected world? And what are the features of the still very strong echoes of its past understandings?
Encouraging transdisciplinary and cross-cultural analysis on material and immaterial approaches to death and dying, the panel aims to create an open discussion on thanatopraxis, rituals and socio-cultural attitudes in a synchronic and historical perspective, while also giving space to theoretical reflections on the relationship with death, end of life and mortality.
From the socio-material and spatial turns to the newest digital outlooks, while still embracing longstanding academic and methodological attitudes towards ethical and religious consideration of the topic, we wish to explore the theme in all its width, to challenge conceptual boundaries and theoretical postures, addressing the intersections between death and beliefs, death and spirituality, death and politics/institutions, death and technology, death and cultural heritage.

45.1
   
45.2
   
45.3
   
OBSERVING CORPSES. WHEN THANATOURISM MEETS RELIGIOUS HERITAGE

Sabatini R. *

University of Turin - Bruno Kessler Foundation ~ Turin ~ Italy
45.4
   
THE PHILOSOPHER, THE DEATH

Germano N. *

University of Genoa ~ Genoa ~ Italy
45.5
   
NARRATIVE RE-INTERPRETATION OF DEATH - A CASE STUDY OF FALCO TARASSACO

Nemes M. *

Hungairan Academy of Arts, Research Institute of Art Theory and Methodology ~ Budapest ~ Hungary
45.7
   
45.9
   
TO DIE OR NOT TO DIE: HOW AI-RELATED NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS ADDRESS THIS DILEMMA

Graffeo A. *

University of Zurich - University of Turin - Bruno Kessler Foundation ~ Zurich - Turin - Trento ~ Italy
45.11
   
SKULLS & BONES. ART, OCCULTURE, SPIRITUALITY AND DEATH

D'Agostino E. *

SIMBDEA | Italian Society for Museum and Heritage Anthropology ~ Rome ~ Italy
45.12
   
IN THE EXISTENTIAL DIMENSION OF RELIGIONS, LOVE WINS THE ONTOLOGICAL BATTLE OF MIRACLE AND DEATH

Leal M. *

University Center of Brazilian, Maternal-infant Hospital of Brazilian, Catholic University of Brazilian ~ Brasília ~ Brazil
45.13
   
45.15
   
IMMORTALITY, ARS MORIENDI, AND LIVING WELL: A THEOLOGICAL CRITIQUE OF LIFE EXTENSION TECHNOLOGIES AND THE ART OF DYING

Lee D. * [1] , Borgen M. * [2]

Yale University ~ New Haven ~ United States of America [1] , University of Copenhagen ~ Copenhagen ~ Denmark [2]