Cultivating a death network through dark academic and pedagogical events

A key challenge as an academic is forming connections with fellow academics for research purposes as well as Higher Education students and the public. In 2015, the Death and Culture Network (DaCNet) at the University of York, UK, was formed to understand cultural responses to mortality and to promote and produce interdisciplinary studies of death. This network sought to achieve something different to a traditional research centre. It was carefully planned in terms of its development, seeking to run events to disseminate research and promote pedagogic innovation. This chapter explores how DaCNet serves as a catalyst for dark events through its design, planning and organisational logistics. Two examples will be offered to illustrate the role of a network in academic and pedagogic dark events. Firstly, through the academic dark event of the biennial Death and Culture Conference and secondly via a pedagogic dark event in the form of the York Death and Culture self-guided podcasted walk. These network-coordinated dark events will showcase how they can form a productive and supportive environment for research and pedagogy, scholarly connection and ultimately public engagement.