On Being with Krista Tippett

Pauline Boss — Navigating Loss Without Closure

Jul 16, 2020
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ANECDOTE

Homesickness and Immigrant Grief

  • Pauline Boss grew up in a Swiss-American immigrant family, where homesickness was a constant presence.
  • Her grandmother refused to learn English, clinging to her native language and grieving the loss of her homeland.
INSIGHT

Denying Immigrant Grief

  • American culture often overlooks the grief associated with immigration.
  • Boss argues that denying this grief prolongs it; embracing both old and new cultures is healthier.
INSIGHT

Two Types of Ambiguous Loss

  • Ambiguous loss has two types: physical absence with psychological presence (e.g., MIA soldiers) and physical presence with psychological absence (e.g., dementia).
  • Boss's work on ambiguous loss began with absent fathers and expanded to encompass broader losses like those from disasters.
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