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The Incorporation of Human Cremation Ashes Into Objects and Tattoos in Contemporary British Practices

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The Incorporation of Human Cremation Ashes Into Objects and Tattoos in Contemporary British Practices Ashes to Art, Dust to Diamonds: The incorporation of human cremation ashes into objects and tattoos in contemporary British practices Samantha McCormick A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Manchester Metropolitan University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Department of Sociology August 2015 Declaration I declare that the work in this thesis was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the University’s regulations and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes and all the material provided in this thesis are original and have not been published elsewhere. I declare that while registered as a candidate for the University’s research degree, I have not been a registered candidate or enrolled student for another award of the University or other academic or professional institution. A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Manchester Metropolitan University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy SINGED ………………………………… i ii Abstract This thesis examines the incorporation of human cremated remains into objects and tattoos in a range of contemporary practices in British society. Referred to collectively in this study as ‘ashes creations’, the practices explored in this research include human cremation ashes irreversibly incorporated or transformed into: jewellery, glassware, diamonds, paintings, tattoos, vinyl records, photograph frames, pottery, and mosaics. This research critically analyses the commissioning, production, and the lived experience of the incorporation of human cremation ashes into objects and tattoos from the perspective of two groups of people who participate in these practices: people who have commissioned an ashes creations incorporating the cremation ashes of a loved one and people who make or sell ashes creations. This qualitative study begins by exploring processes of commissioning; it argues that ashes creations are practices concerned with commissioners’ desires to maintain spatial proximities and an intimate relatedness with their deceased loved ones. The thesis moves on to explore the making of ashes creations, tracing how conceptual and physical boundaries are transcended as creative materials and cremation ashes irreversibly intermingle. The ashes creations that emerge from these processes perform as subjects and objects as they are experienced as loved ones and beloved things. Concluding with an exploration of how ashes creations are lived with in participants’ ongoing lives, this thesis considers the ways in which intimate relatedness is enacted through performances of presence. These performances are characterised by notions of loved ones returning as the deceased continues to participate in the lives of the living. What emerges, across the materially disparate practices of ashes creations, are recurring narratives of relationality, uniqueness, and presence. As cremation ashes are increasingly being located away from landscapes traditionally associated with death and towards the spatial domains of the living, this study contributes to our understanding of the personalised practices that people engage in with cremation ashes. iii iv Acknowledgments I want to thank my family and friends, especially Freyja McCormick, Pat McCormick and Roy McCormick, who have been constant and unswerving in their support in all of my endeavours. I would also like to acknowledge the support of my supervisors. My appreciation goes to Chris Allen and John Scanlan. Particular gratitude is due to my supervisor Julian Holloway, who was a constant source of invaluable support, good humour and academic rigor. I would also like to thank Deborah Bown and Sylvia Kölling, both of whom constantly go above and beyond their duties in supporting postgraduate researchers. I would like to conclude by thanking everyone who generously gave their time to participate in this research by sharing their specialist knowledge and experience. Without their willingness to generously share their experiences, this research would not have been possible. v vi Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 2 Historic Context ......................................................................................................................... 5 Changes in Practices ................................................................................................................. 8 Practices that Incorporate Cremation Ashes .......................................................................... 12 Research Terms ....................................................................................................................... 17 Structure of the Thesis ............................................................................................................ 19 Chapter Two: Literature Review ........................................................................................ 23 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 23 Section One – Contemporary Death ........................................................................................ 25 Sequestration theories – the death denial thesis ................................................................ 25 Grief theories – breaking and continuing bonds ................................................................. 29 Section Two – Research Context ............................................................................................. 33 Seminal studies ................................................................................................................... 33 Contemporary context ........................................................................................................ 36 Personalisation .................................................................................................................... 42 Agency ................................................................................................................................. 47 Presence .............................................................................................................................. 53 Chapter Summary ................................................................................................................... 55 Chapter Two: Research Design........................................................................................... 58 Epistemological Approach....................................................................................................... 58 Positioning the Researcher...................................................................................................... 63 Sampling ................................................................................................................................. 64 Defining the research parameters ...................................................................................... 64 Obtaining a sample ............................................................................................................. 66 Providers ............................................................................................................................. 69 Commissioners .................................................................................................................... 72 Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 75 Data Analysis........................................................................................................................... 78 Coding ................................................................................................................................. 78 The exclusion of data .......................................................................................................... 80 Quality and generalisation .................................................................................................. 81 Research Ethics ....................................................................................................................... 83 Levels of participation ......................................................................................................... 84 Informed consent ................................................................................................................ 84 Anonymisation .................................................................................................................... 86 vii Data protection .................................................................................................................... 88 Risk and benefits .................................................................................................................. 88 Chapter Summary ................................................................................................................... 93 Chapter Three: Discovering, Deciding, and Commissioning ................................................. 96 ‘…that is for me’ (Barbara 14.4). Commissioners: Discovering and Deciding ....................... 97 Discovering and deciding ..................................................................................................... 97 Relationality ......................................................................................................................
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