Abstract

Research on Policy Measures to Improve Patriarchal Family Ritual Systems: Focus on Funeral Culture
Type Basic Period 2019
Manager Hyo Jean Song Date 2020-03-03
Fiie Research on Policy Measures to Improve Patriarchal Family Ritual Systems_Focus on Funeral Culture.pdf ( 1.71 MB )

Abstract

 

Research on Policy Measures to Improve Patriarchal Family Ritual Systems: Focus on Funeral Culture

 

Hyo Jean Song

Bo Young Sun

Jin-Hee Choi

Kyung Sung

Sookyung Park

 

Funeral rituals, among families, have acted as a mechanism in which gender inequalities are maintained and reconfirmed via patriarchal formalities and procedures. Despite that, in the name of traditions, customs, and a private family culture, they have been overlooked or passively supported in the context of policy and systems. However, it is necessary to review whether such a funeral culture accords with the value of gender equality or accepts changes in family systems. In connection with practices and funerals that have been manualized in the life-ending industry, it is also required to review frameworks and contexts assumed by related legal systems, to examine how they are implemented in our daily lives, and to seek ways to improve them, from gender perspectives. This paper is designed to look into funeral culture-related issues from gender perspectives and in terms of family changes and to identify policy and institutional measures for their improvement.

 

This study was conducted in the following ways. Experts’ opinions were reflected through advisory meetings, reviewing local and foreign literature, data, and legal systems. Focus group interviews (FGIs) were held with those who have ever attended the funerals of their family members or relatives over the past three to five years, as well as with thirty related activists, in order to gather opinions (assessment and alternatives) on Korea’s funeral culture and to prepare questions for research on the status of Korea’s funerals. An online survey of about 1,300 adults in their twenties through fifties was carried out to figure out the status of Korea’s funeral culture and their attitudes towards an alternative funeral culture and policies. The results were analyzed thoroughly for this study. FGIs produced and identified the following results and implications, respectively:

 

First, interviewees are found to have experienced a patriarchal and gender-discriminatory funeral culture. In the process of carrying out male-dominated rituals and procedures, women are marginalized or isolated while in the patriarchal funeral culture, there is discrimination between the father’s side and the mother’s side. In particular, gender roles are unreasonably separated in rituals and procedures. Such funeral practices are involuntarily chosen and implemented through commercialized and standardized product services offered by mutual aid companies and funeral directors. Second, in Korean society, three-day funerals are generally held at funeral halls under the guidance of mutual aid companies and funeral directors. Such a routine leads to standardized funeral services, funeral culture based on rituals and procedures, and a commercialized funeral culture where the focus is placed on purchasing predetermined rituals and procedures that are not planned based on survivors’ choice and participation. In the process, the dead are not properly revered or mourned, causing the deceased and survivors to be isolated.

 

Third, the current funeral culture is also characterized by blood ties, typical families, and patriarchal family order. Therefore, the culture is found to have failed to reflect not only realities facing single-person households, single-parent families, cohabitation, de facto marriage-based families, and others but also changes in typical families.

 

Fourth, identifying the diverse limitations of the current funeral culture, it is found that the culture needs to be enhanced by reflecting realities facing families and changing attitudes. In connection therewith, participants propose that unnecessary procedures and formalities be removed, focusing on the remembrance of the deceased and consolations to survivors, and

that real sorrow be expressed via one-day funerals, advance

funeral services, photo exhibitions, receptions, and so forth, rather than simply following predetermined rituals and formalities. Fifth, in order to improve funeral culture by reflecting changing attitudes and realities facing families, social attitudes towards funerals should be revised, making necessary efforts at an individual level. At the same time, legal systems should be enhanced, reflecting realities facing individuals and families that have experienced various lives.

 

For this study, a survey on the status of Korea’s funeral culture and on citizens’ awareness of an alternative funeral culture and policies was conducted, producing the following results: In connection with gender inequality exposed by Korea’s funeral culture, the following issues were raised. A majority of participants think that men act as chief mourners or key decision-makers while women play secondary and auxiliary roles in the process of conducting funerals. A higher percentage of respondents are against Korea’s hierarchical funeral culture characterized by roles differentiated by gender, arguing that such a culture should change and does not reflect recent changes in family structure. In terms of funeral procedures and formalities, they recognize the problems of funerals featuring empty formalities and vanity and high costs. A bigger percentage of respondents agree that high-cost funerals should be avoided, simplifying formalities and procedures. A higher portion of female and young participants recognize the problems of the current funeral culture characterized by gender inequality and empty formalities and vanity, agreeing that such a culture should change. In particular, there are statistically significant differences by gender in the area of improving funeral culture. Specifically, more women than men are found to demand gender-equal, low-cost, and simplified funerals.

 

Citizens’ attitudes towards an alternative funeral culture were also explored, showing that there is a gap between Korea’s current funeral culture and what people really want. In other words, respondents demand gender-equal and simplified funerals based on close relationships or various funerals customized to individual needs, rather than the current funeral culture characterized by gender inequality and empty formalities. More women than men ask for gender-equal funeral systems but both highly recognize needs for an alternative funeral culture. Reflecting a gap between Korea’s current funeral customs and what people really need, a higher percentage of participants acknowledge the needs for appropriate policies.

 

Based on such research results, this paper delivers the following policy suggestions in order to improve Korea’s current funeral culture featuring patriarchy and gender inequality and to promote funeral culture properly reflecting changes in families and society. First, policy and institutional efforts are required to promote funeral culture without gender hierarchies and discrimination. Funeral experts training programs should include curricula that improve gender sensitivity and the understanding of various types of families, conducting research on changing a gender-discriminatory funeral culture and developing alternative funeral contents. Legal systems should also be revised in connection with a patriarchal and gender-discriminatory funeral culture that is not in harmony with what the Constitution promotes. Moreover, a PR campaign should be implemented to disseminate a gender-equal funeral culture. Second, revising legal systems, the focus should shift from patriarchy and blood ties to alternative systems that reflect changes in family and society in order to enable a variety of individuals and family members to honor the memory of the deceased. Institutional and policy considerations are required to enable everyone to properly revere the memory of the dead, regardless of family types. Taking into account changes in family relationships, it is necessary to revise legal provisions whose focus is placed on families based on legal marriage and blood ties. Guardian systems should also be revised to enable ‘singles,’ ‘single-person households,’ and ‘those who maintain close relationships out of the system’ to ask and prepare for funerals in advance. In the same vein, institutional reforms should be implemented to ensure posthumous self-determination.

 

Third, funeral services should shift their focus from rituals and procedures to remembrance and mourning. Policy intervention is also required to improve funeral culture characterized by rituals, procedures, heavy burdens, and high costs. In connection therewith, necessary support systems and social conditions should be set up to enable various forms of condolences to be used, focusing on the remembrance of the deceased and consolation to survivors. It is necessary to create a social atmosphere and culture where citizens are supported to casually prepare for deaths and funerals. To this end, policy support including programs and training should be strengthened, establishing institutional arrangements such as last wills, trust, and posthumous business management, and so forth in order to help prepare for deaths.