Research that matters: bridging the gap between research and practice in thanatology

This article serves as an Introduction to this two-issue special series of Death Studies on the integration of research and practice in thanatology. After discussing the lack of dialogue between researchers and practitioners in the field, the author identifies some common elements of the research and clinical processes in thanatology. These include the central role of pragmatic theory building and the universal human encounter with loss. The author then offers suggestions for enhancing the exchange between researchers and clinicians, including improvements in theory, methodology, and the dissemination of research findings. Lastly, the individual articles in the series are introduced to the reader.