How Ghanaian funerals changed in order to retain their social and religious meaning: a mediatisation perspective

Abstract

This study examines how Ghanaian funeral practices have adapted to retain their social and religious meaning in an era of modernisation and digitalisation of the media. Drawing on mediatisation theory, qualitative content analysis, and semi-structured interviews, the study reveals three main themes: the transformation of traditional funeral rites, cultural practices and traditions, and the influence of digital technology on traditional funeral rites. The findings reveal that contemporary innovations, including symbolic coffin designs, modern embalming and refrigeration techniques, digital obituaries, livestreaming, and virtual mourning, have reshaped how funerals are organised. Rather than representing a rupture with tradition, these developments illustrate processes of continuity through adaptation, enabling funerals to preserve their longstanding functions of honouring the deceased, strengthening communal ties, and sustaining collective remembrance under changing social conditions. At the same time, the study identifies ongoing tensions surrounding commercialisation, public visibility, and the ethical treatment of the dead, highlighting debates over cultural authenticity and respect. The study extends mediatisation theory by demonstrating how digital media transform and sustain ritual practices. It identifies new forms of communication through which cultural and religious meanings are negotiated in Ghana.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Mortality, 2026 · DOI ↗