Douglas Davies

Douglas James Davies (born 1947) is Professor in the Study of Religion in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham. He is an authority in the history, theology and sociology of death. His fields of expertise also include anthropology, the study of religion, the rituals and beliefs surrounding funerary rites and cremation around the globe, and Mormonism. His research interests cover identity and belief, and Anglican leadership.

Born in Wales, he read two Bachelor of Arts degrees at St John's College, University of Durham, before doing his PhD at the University of Nottingham. He then achieved both Master and Doctor of Letters at Oxford University and received, on May 28, 1998, an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Theology at Uppsala University, Sweden.

His book, Reusing Old Graves: A Report on Popular British Attitudes, co-written with Alastair Shaw, won the 1995 Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year.

His current projects include writings on 'The Encyclopedia of Cremation', 'The Clergy and British Society: 1940-2000', 'A Brief History of Death', 'Inner-speech and prayer' and 'Ritual purity'.

He has also published a large number of articles on death, and contemporary Christianity.

Professor Davies has been involved with various editorial boards and conferences, including the 'Editorial Board of Mortality' and the 'British Sociological; Association Religion Group' (Chairman: 2000-2003). He was also guest speaker at both the Scandinavian Sociological Society Conference in 2004 and the International Cremation Federation Conference in Barcelona, 2003.

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