Cover page 
 
A death in the family: experiences of dying and death in which everyday family practices are 
embedded and enacted 
 
Kathryn Almack, University of Hertfordshire. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4342-241X  
 
Abstract: 
‘Family’ is an important concept in end-of-life care policy and practice but familial 
relationships are rarely considered, beyond a bio-medical framework and/or as a resource 
for informal care. Furthermore, bereavement and grief have largely come to be seen as the 
domain for psychiatry and psychology. I argue for an exploration of death, dying and 
bereavement as experiences within which everyday family practices are embedded and 
enacted. In doing so, I draw upon experiences, in an English setting, relating to my parents’ 
coming to the end of their lives. Morgan’s work is central to this endeavour and I apply 
aspects of his work to this important but understudied area of family sociology. Building on 
insights from this important body of work, I argue this can help to develop richer more 
nuanced understandings of the everyday familial experiences of dying and death bound up 
in social, material and cultural contexts. 
Key words: 
Death, dying and bereavement, family practices, siblings, end-of-life care 
Word count: 7930 
 
Published version: https://doi.org/10.1332/204674321X16472778502561