“Funerals in urbanizing China” with Andrew Kipnis

In a rapidly urbanizing China, funerals have become more and more commercialised. Rituals that used to be taken care of by village and family members are now arranged by funeral service providers who are strangers to the family. How does this reflect the changing conceptions of family and strangers in contemporary China? What is the difference between ghosts and ancestors? And, how are ghosts political? In this episode, we talk to Prof. Andrew Kipnis, chair of CUHK Anthropology, about his encounters with anthropology, his experience of doing research in China over the last few decades, and some interesting findings from his new book The Funeral of Mr. Wang: Life, Death, and Ghosts in Urbanizing China (University of California Press, July 2021).

(This episode is conducted in English)

01’30 Introduction to anthropology

07’20 First fieldwork experience in a village in Shandong

17’10 Researching in China

28’17 The Funeral of Mr. Wang: Life, Death, and Ghosts in Urbanizing China

39’08 What is so political about ghosts?