The Social Life of Cemeteries explores the evolution of modern cemeteries as they have developed across the globe since their origins in 19th-century Europe. It examines cemeteries not only as spaces built by the living for the dead but also as places for the living to thrive, where the richness of human cultures and communities is expressed in meaningful, symbolic and artistic ways.

As havens of architectural and natural beauty, cemeteries provide opportunities for solitude and reflection, as well as for recreation and tourism. They serve as extraordinary venues for learning about both past individuals and events, and the change in current social customs and traditions. By shaping—and telling—the history, memory and identity of communities and individuals, cemeteries can offer plenty of meaningful insights into a specific society.

This book, with its cross-national, multicultural perspective and theoretical approach, is intended for researchers and students in anthropology and social sciences, as well as for a larger academic public in fields like history, geography, art history, architecture and urban planning. It also offers numerous references to specific locations and cultural features for educated travelers, cemetery enthusiasts and thanatourists worldwide.

Michelangelo Giampaoli is an anthropologist and cultural heritage curator. He earned his PhD in ethnology and anthropology from the University of Perugia in Italy and from Paris Nanterre University. Over the past 20 years, he has been involved in researching and promoting cemeteries as places of collective memory, identity and public education in Italy, France, Brazil and the United States. As a professional lecturer, he teaches courses on death and cemeteries at DePaul University in Chicago.