Prof Erica Borgstrom

Academic Mug Mugs and more for all of the academic mugs in the world... because life in university and higher education needs more joy and laughter.

I recently got a mug from Academic Mug that says 'I should have said no'. Currently my favourite ❤️ I'd recommend the site if you're looking for an academia-related gift ahead of the holidays www.academicmug.com

The Open University

Did you know that @openuniversity.bsky.social currently works in over 150 prisons and supports around 2000 students a year in prison, secure units and under licence in the community?

Higher education changes lives. See more of the work The Open University are doing⬇️

www.open.ac.uk/blogs/news/b...

Critical Approaches to Death, Dying and Bereavement This book is the first of its kind to examine key topics in death, dying, and bereavement through a critical lens, highlighting how the understanding and experience of death can vary considerably, bas...

Our book Critical Approaches to death,dying and bereavement is part of the Routledge Black Friday Sale!

@ericaborgstrom.bsky.social 📚💙

www.routledge.com/Critical-App...

In Dumfries today, ready for our event discussing death and dying - looking forward to meeting others there later! Thanks to the OU in Scotland and the University of West Scotland for hosting it.

Open Thanatology Hub Check out the FREE content from Open Thanatology, The Open University’s interdisciplinary research group for the study and education of death, dying, loss and grief.

Do you teach about dying, death, grief, or end of life care? Need some free resources for your class or assignments? We've got lots of great short articles, animations, and interactives you could use on our Open Thanatology Hub on OpenLearn. www.open.edu/openlearn/he... #ThanatologyThursday

A new Open University PhD studentship, inspired by the palliative and end of life care JLA Priorities and associated To Know Dying report, is available.
Interested? Contact Katie Davis - katie.davis@open.ac.uk

More details below👇

📢 Reminder: Still time to register!

Join us for our webinar: Schools: Supporting Bereaved Students

🗓 Date: Friday 21st of November
🕒 Time: 12:30pm-2pm
👉 Register: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/supporting-bereaved-children-an-open-evening-for-parents-carers-tickets-1794621403929?aff=bluesky
#BCAW2025

Ah yes, thank you, pain, for being so intense today that I couldn't finish sentences mid-speech in meetings. Including when responding to direct, simple questions. Grateful for the patience of colleagues in those moments.

Gutted to be missing so many amazing papers and panels at #AAA2025, especially with the theme this year on ghosts and haunting. I've enjoyed reading through the programme abstracts today and reaching out to people about their work.

The Open University We currently offer the following PhD studentships:Faculty funded studentshipsApplications for October 2026 will open in November 2025.Based in Milton Keynes, UKEach year, the Faculty of Wellbeing, Edu...

And more info on how to apply wels.open.ac.uk/research/res...

Interested in doing a funded PhD at the Open University? We have an opportunity to explore what dying well means to people living with dementia. Please see the link below for more information and don't hesitate to get in touch to discuss further! wels.open.ac.uk/sites/wels.o...

It's #ChildrensGriefAwarenessWeek. One of our members (Poppy) has co-authored a new book on this topic - Supporting Bereaved Children in the Primary Classroom: Helping Children Process Death, Grief and Loss. www.amazon.co.uk/Supporting-B...

An announcement on the gov UK website. The text reads: Press release Government confirms National Covid Memorial Wall will be preserved The National Covid Memorial Wall will be preserved to remember the lives lost during the pandemic. From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Baroness Twycross Published 13 November 2025

The volunteers were at Parliament today to hear the government announce that our beautiful memorial is to be made permanent. It was an emotional day, as we have fought so long and hard to ensure that our beloved dead are not forgotten. We are grateful and happy. ❤️

I should not be surprised that after a busy week I'm having a flare-up of pain, but still annoyed it has happened. Thankful today's work meetings are all online so I can sit more comfortably and not have to navigate commuting with pain.

We are now officially the Centre for Open Thanatology at The Open University!!!! Here are a few quotes from the recent announcement of our Centre status from @ericaborgstrom.bsky.social as shared within the Faculty (see thread)...

Considering using the book 'Critical Approaches to Death, Dying & Bereavement' in your course/teaching? You may be eligible for an inspection copy - www.routledge.com/textbooks/ev...

New book coming from the Death and Culture series soon! I'd also recommend it to those who work with museums and/or private collections/archives.

The Open University Grand Union ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership StudentshipsThe Open University Stipend: Approximately £20,780 per annum Closing Date: Midday – Wednesday 7th January 2026Interview date: Early February ...

Interested in doing a PhD? The OU is currently advertising its Grand Union ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership Studentships. Closing date is noon on Jan 7th 2026. Find out more: university.open.ac.uk/employment/g...

Opening Conversations On Assisted Dying, Death and Grief A joint Open University in Scotland and University of the West of Scotland event, where assisted dying, death and grief will be explored.

If you're local to Dumfries, join us on Nov 25th to discuss death and grief. Tickets are free but registration is required. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/opening-co...

Critical Approaches to Death, Dying and Bereavement | Erica Borgstrom, This book is the first of its kind to examine key topics in death, dying, and bereavement through a critical lens, highlighting how the understanding and

Get your own copy here:

www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/1...

Critical approaches to death, dying, and bereavement Published in Death Studies (Ahead of Print, 2025)

Lovely review of the book @ericaborgstrom.bsky.social and I wrote 💙📚

www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Enabling parents to improve children’s services: Walking the Walk in Evelina London Children’s Hospital Imagine you’re a parent and your child is dying or has died in a hospital. How could the hospital and staff best support you? Drawing on the insights of parents, Walking the Walk has adapted to ...

Enabling parents to improve children’s services: Walking the Walk in Evelina London Children’s Hospital www.open.edu/openlearn/en... #ThanatologyThursday

And if you want to find resources by Open Thanatology members, you can browse ORO and refine by 'Open Thanatology'

Opening Conversations On Assisted Dying, Death and Grief A joint Open University in Scotland and University of the West of Scotland event, where assisted dying, death and grief will be explored.

Still time to register for an in-person evening of conversation about death and dying in Dumfries on Nov 25th - looking forward to meeting some of you there! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/opening-co...

New short article out now! -- Between life and death: what Halloween reveals about our fear of the afterlife -- www.open.edu/openlearn/he...

Thrilled to say I'm a judge for the first ever Inspiring History Teaching Awards, in association with Historic Royal Palaces. Do you know a great history teacher in the UK who deserves to go down in history? Nominate them here bit.ly/42yhGZP

One of the things I really love about my job is getting to see people's work develop and be shared 😍 The considered thinking, creative ideas, and navigating ways to understand the world.

Life and Death in Latin American Cities Life and Death in Latin American Cities - The Necropolis at Stake; This book explores the complex relationships between the living and the dead in six Latin American cities. Focusing on urban death in...

You can order a copy of her book via the publisher: bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/life-and-dea...

Yesterday's post included my editor's copy of the latest book in the Death and Culture series for Bristol Univeristy Press.

Life and Death in Latin American Cities -The Necropolis at Stake by Christien Klaufus.

Informed by her many years of fieldwork in several countries.

The Open University Moments of Rupture Online 20-21 November 2025Some legal and social changes are so profound that they create what seem to be moments of rupture: breaks between the ‘before’ and ‘after’. These moments c...

Researching a legal moment that was supposed to change everything - whether it did or not? The call for papers for 'Moments of Rupture' is open until 23 October!
Free, online conference in November, hosted by the Open Universities legal histories research cluster.
#LegalHistory #cfp