Douglas Davies

Professor Douglas Davies is a leading academic in the study of death and religion at Durham University, where he serves as Professor in the Study of Religion and Director of the Centre for Death and Life Studies. A Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Learned Society of Wales, and British Academy, he combines anthropology with theology in his research.

• Specializes in death studies, funeral rituals, and religious identity
• Has published extensively on Mormonism, Anglicanism, and cremation practices
• Recipient of international academic recognition including honorary doctorates

His research interests focus on the anthropology of death, religious studies, and the intersection between theology and social science. He has pioneered interdisciplinary approaches to mortality, examining emotional, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of death practices across historical and contemporary contexts.

Publications show strong emphasis on funeral rituals, cremation culture, and religious perspectives on mortality. His work spans from detailed analyses of specific religious communities to broad cultural histories of death practices. In 2024 he completed the major six-volume Cultural History of Death project.

Davies has supervised numerous postgraduate students in theology and anthropology, including PhD candidates examining specific religious communities and death practices. His academic career has been marked by extensive editorial work, including major reference works like The Encyclopedia of Cremation.