Hans Hadders

Hans Hadders serves as Associate Professor at the Department of Public Health and Nursing within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). His unique academic trajectory bridges nursing practice and social anthropology, creating a distinctive perspective on death, dying, and healthcare practices across cultural contexts.

Hadders' research focuses on medical anthropology with particular emphasis on death rituals, mortuary practices, and cross-cultural perspectives on terminal care. His work explores how standardized healthcare systems interact with diverse cultural and religious traditions surrounding death, particularly examining Nepalese and Indian practices as well as their adaptation within Norwegian multicultural society. His ethnographic approach combines deep cultural immersion with healthcare system analysis.

Hadders' publication record demonstrates consistent thematic focus on death rituals across different cultural contexts, with particular attention to Nepal and India. His recent work examines specific ritual practices like electric cremation, cornea donation at cremation sites, and Hindu burial adaptations in Norway, revealing how traditional practices evolve within modern healthcare systems and during crisis situations like earthquakes and pandemics.

Hadders actively contributes to interdisciplinary research networks including The Cemetery Research Group and DERK (Døden: Emosjoner, relasjoner og kultur), a Nordic research network exploring various aspects of death. His collaborations extend internationally to Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel Hospital, and Kathmandu Medical College in Nepal, reflecting his commitment to global health perspectives.

Beyond his academic work, Hadders maintains a connection to his earlier studies in North Indian music, as evidenced by his musical recordings of classical Indian ragas, demonstrating how his anthropological interests extend beyond academic publications into personal artistic expression.