Beyond Utility: Analyzing Unseen Infrastructures of Necromobility
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Date
2023-04-06
Authors
YOUNG, STEPHANIE
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
The year 2020 was unprecedented on varying accounts but will undoubtedly be remembered by a global pandemic bringing the world to a shuddering halt. As nations scrambled to flatten the outbreak’s curve, the virus tested the capacity of healthcare systems and local morgues, and with the overwhelming number of fatalities came the shocking images of the pandemic’s consequences: the erection of temporary morgues and mass graves. While current measures inherit guidelines by global authorities, the Canadian government has yet to provide a tailored approach that addresses local limitations and resources in times of mass fatalities.
As hospitals and morgues operated near capacity at the start of pandemic system, monumental efforts have been made to alleviate pressures on our healthcare system, while deathcare remains in a historically precariousstate. With increasing rates of death, various ad-hoc solutions have emerged to supplement unit capacities and to facilitate social distancing at traditional services. Acknowledging that present research predisposes care of the living, Beyond Utility aims to shed light on the invisible industry that cares for the dead and its crucial role in maintaining public health. By documenting the journey of bodies, from time of death to final disposition, the unseen processes within the deathcare industry captures a system that has been historically overlooked, understaffed, operating near capacity.
Using case studies of deathcare crises in Ontario, research addresses inherent spatial constraints within institutions, conflicting interests between stakeholders and legislations, and programmatic limitations from ad-hoc constructions. While the unexpected deaths due to COVID-19 have only further strained deathcare operations, Beyond Utility argues the permanence of ad-hoc constructions, the adaptability of current deathcare practices, and the need for collaborative planning between agencies and disciplines as service demands rise.