Culture, Consolation, and Continuing Bonds in Bereavement

"Dennis Klass is generous, and he possesses a large soul. He is also very smart. He has made lasting contributions to how thanatologists think about and understand bereavement, grief, and mourning. He brought to our attention the singular importance of solace and consolation as persons respond to their losses. He challenged thanatologists weaned in the individualistic tradition of psychology to realize the intersubjective realities of grief. He made formidable forays regarding the ways bereavement, grief, and mourning are experienced and understood in non-Western cultures. This special volume of his important writings showcases these contributions." David Balk in OMEGA—Journal of Death and Dying, 2022

"This landmark volume provides a unique collection of highlights from and developments in Dennis Klass’s momentous scholarship through almost fifty years in bereavement research. With his solid ethnographic, historical, and cross-cultural grounding, Klass has defined the paradigm shift that has taken place in the field. His work has provided conceptual tools that are useful for research and clinical work and also resonates profoundly within the complexity of individual and collective experiences of living with the dead." Ester Holte Kofod, assistant professor of health psychology, The Culture of Grief Research Center, Aalborg University, Denmark