Daniel O'Brien

Dr Daniel O'Brien is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Death and Society, Department of Social & Policy Sciences, University of Bath. His research explores the historical, social, and cultural dimensions of death in eighteenth-century England, with a focus on the undertaking trade and its representation in popular culture.

Education:

• PhD in History, University of Bath (2010–2018), thesis: The Funeral as an Opportunity for Social Display 1700–1820
• MSc in Death and Society, Centre for Death and Society, University of Bath (2008–2009)
• BA in History, Bath Spa University (2005–2008)

His research interests include the eighteenth-century undertaking trade, funerary practices, death in popular culture, theatrical representations of funeral workers, and sociability in death rituals. He draws on diverse sources such as satire, theatre, and material culture to examine how knowledge of funerary practices was formed and perceived in Georgian England.

His recent publications analyze topics such as funerary accessories in Bristol, schoolchildren in urban funerals, and the portrayal of funeral workers’ emotions in satire. Collectively, his work reveals how funerals served as sites of social display, class anxiety, and public performance in the 18th century.

Scientific Awards:

• No awards listed.

There is no public information regarding grants or students advised. Dr O'Brien contributes to research aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly through historical insight into societal values and cultural practices surrounding death.