The Self and Significant Others

Abstract

Losses are part of the human condition. And these losses are multifaceted—as diverse as human bonds can be. In this article, I review and analyze the diversity of loss experiences and the notion of loss of self. A sociology of loss illuminates the universes of meaning that refer to person/person, person/animal, or person/object relations and involve different kinds of losses that can be grieved. It also broaches the issue of the social regulation of losses and specific loss norms. Finally, I will present a general model that integrates the various perspectives on loss.