Social Networks and Mourning: A Comparative Approach

Abstract

This article suggests using social network theory to explain the varieties of mourning behavior in different societies. This context is used to compare the participation in funeral ceremonies of members of different social circles in modern-American society and in the Israeli kibbutz. The two cases demonstrate the validity of concepts deriving from social network analysis in the study of bereavement, mourning behavior, and funerary practice. The approach suggested might serve as a basis for a cross-cultural analysis of the range of participation in mourning rituals.