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Content analysis
Content analysis
Content analysis was used as a systematic, objective method to quantify and interpret obituary characteristics across different decades.
Each obituary was coded for specific variables:
gender
age
family mentions
occupation
religious affiliation
tone
length,
language (e.g., "passed away" vs. "died")
and presence of photographs or digital links.
In the paper, Tables 1–8 organized these findings, allowing for pattern recognition across time periods.
By combining quantitative coding with qualitative interpretation, content analysis uncovered measurable trends that support a broader understanding of shifting societal values regarding death, identity, and remembrance.
social memory and collective remembrance
social memory and collective remembrance
Social memory theory, primarily developed by scholars like
Maurice Halbwachs,
Paul Connerton
Jan Assmann
provides a powerful lens through which this study interprets obituaries. According to this theory, memory is not an individual act alone, it is a socially constructed process, deeply influenced by the institutions, communities, and cultures in which individuals live.
Obituaries are not just personal narratives; they are public artifacts that embed an individual's story into collective memory, offering insight into what a society chooses to remember and how it remembers.
This diagram maps the spectrum of memory from individual (biological and psychological) forms, like
semantic (facts and general knowledge)
episodic (personal experiences and events)
and procedural (skills and how-to knowledge, [e.g. riding a bike])
to collective (social and cultural) forms, such as
communicative (everyday shared memories, recent and personal)
and cultural memory (long-term, institutionalized knowledge [e.g. traditions, history])
showing how memory operates across personal and shared experiences.
Results
Results
Key observations through content analysis include:
Tone Shift: Obituaries transitioned from formal (88.7% in 1927) to personal and emotional (83.2% in 2020).
Language Usage: Euphemisms like "passed away" increased dramatically, suggesting greater cultural sensitivity around death.
Family and Social Networks: Mentions of extended and blended families rose from 0% in 1927 to 92% by 2020.
Occupational Mention: Early obituaries rarely mentioned careers (9.4% in 1927) compared to a heavy emphasis by 2020 (87.5% mentioning professions or volunteer work).
rESULTS OF THE EVOLUTION OF OBITUARIES AS COLLECTIVE MEMORY
rESULTS OF THE EVOLUTION OF OBITUARIES AS COLLECTIVE MEMORY
1927: Standardized Memory and Social Hierarchies
Early obituaries reflect a monumental memory approach: short, formulaic notices emphasizing religious faith, familial duty, and status within society.
The deceased were often remembered in ways that reinforced traditional structures—such as:
nuclear families
patriarchal roles
professional prestige limited to elite figures.
1968: Fragmented Memory and Expanding Networks
The societal upheavals of the 1960s (e.g., Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War) reshaped collective memory processes.
Obituaries from 1968 show increased mention of
military service
educational achievements
blended family structures
This represents a shift toward a plurality of memories—different social groups and identities beginning to find space in public remembrance.
2020: Participatory Memory and Digital Remembrance
In the modern era, obituaries fully embrace participatory memory practices.
Digital platforms (e.g., Legacy.com, Facebook memorial pages) democratize remembrance by allowing a wider range of voices to contribute to the deceased's story.
Discussion
Discussion
The results of this study strongly supported my original hypothesis. Obituaries have significantly evolved over time toward greater personalization, emotional expression, inclusivity, and digital memorialization.
In 1927, obituaries were brief and formal, primarily reinforcing social structures like religion, family hierarchy, and elite status.
By 1968, obituary content reflected broader societal shifts, with more mentions of military service, civic engagement, and larger, blended family structures.
By 2020, obituaries had transformed into highly personalized narratives, incorporating digital platforms, emotional language, and expanded family and community recognition.
These findings validated the assumption that obituary practices would mirror wider cultural, technological, and social changes over time. They also confirmed that obituaries are not static death notices but are dynamic cultural artifacts that adapt to societal transformations.
This research fills several important gaps in current literature, as many studies have explored changing memorial practices like gravestone inscriptions or funeral rituals, there has been limited focus on longitudinal, city-specific analyses of obituaries as evolving cultural texts.
By focusing on Indianapolis across three pivotal periods, this study offers a localized yet broadly relevant perspective on how collective memory and public mourning practices have changed.
Additionally, the project combines both quantitative content analysis and qualitative social theory, offering a richer understanding of trends that are often studied separately. It also addresses the recent, under-explored topic of digital memorialization during the COVID-19 pandemic, showing how technology accelerated new forms of grief expression and collective remembrance.
Ultimately, this work contributes to a growing body of research that sees obituaries not just as historical records, but as living reflections of how societies remember, value, and honor their members over time.
Strengths
Strengths
One of the main strengths of this research lies in its comprehensive, comparative approach. By analyzing obituaries across three distinct decades, it captures long-term cultural shifts with clarity.
The use of content analysis combined with social memory theory allowed for both measurable trends and deeper interpretive insights.
Another strength is the inclusion of local, archival data from Indianapolis, which adds specificity and originality, especially as few studies focus on obituary evolution in mid-sized American cities.
Finally, integrating recent phenomena like digital memorialization during the COVID-19 pandemic gives the project timely relevance and makes it responsive to current societal changes.
Weaknesses
Weaknesses
A limitation of the study is the sample size; while 72 obituaries offer meaningful patterns, a larger dataset could provide even more robust statistical conclusions. I also would have liked to incorporate a few more years across the decade, as the jump from 1968 to 2020 is quite the leap.
Additionally, because obituaries were drawn from publicly available sources, they may not fully reflect underrepresented communities who lack access to publishing platforms or cannot afford paid obituary space.
Finally, while content analysis revealed compelling patterns, it relied on inference for certain data points (e.g., race or social class), which can introduce interpretation bias.
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