Siblings and the Bereaved Self: Identity (Re)Construction Following the Death of a Brother or Sister

Abstract

Having and being a sibling can be vital in shaping one’s identity. Using data from a qualitative study exploring experiences of sibling bereavement over the life course, this article questions how the death and subsequent loss of a brother or sister impacts upon the way that surviving siblings (continue to) construct their sense of self. It explores how people re-assess the established similarities and differences they shared with living siblings and re-negotiate their positioning within the chronological sibling birth order. In doing so, this article emphasises the sociological importance of lateral kinship ties with siblings, demonstrating that being and having a sibling can have lasting implications for the way that people perceive and present themselves, even after death. As such, the article concludes that the dead can continue to maintain an important and influential, albeit liminal, position in the webs of relationships in which people are embedded.