Working at the margins of death: Occupational stigma among funeral service providers in Srinagar city

Drawing on theories of stigma and dirty work, this article investigates how funeral service providers in Srinagar experience and manage occupational stigma. Using a qualitative research design, the study draws on in-depth interviews with 24 participants: funeral service providers, community members, and resource persons. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis approach. Results show that funeral services are considered dirty work, leading to stigma and marginalization. Occupational stigma pervades every aspect of funeral service providers’ lives, shaping their relationships, identity, and access to dignity and recognition. However, they actively counteract stigma through strategies such as identity concealment, in-group support, and redefining their work as sacred. These strategies challenge dominant narratives of impurity and inferiority while sustaining providers’ dignity and self-worth. By situating these experiences within local cultural contexts, the study advances sociological and anthropological knowledge of how marginalized occupational groups navigate exclusion while sustaining essential social functions.