Reconfiguring Relations in the Empty Nest

This edited volume traverses the spectrum of experiences that take place after children leave the family home and parents find themselves in the "empty nest" stage of life. Rather than focusing on measuring the intensity of empty nest syndrome or asking whether parents' marital satisfaction increases or decreases in this phase, the authors present rich qualitative data from across Poland and France to show that there is great variation in how families experience the empty nest, developing both a study on intimacy and love and on family solidarity. Throughout the book, themes of mixed emotions, nuanced attitudes, contradictions, and dissonance are explored while shedding light on "supporting actors" of the empty nest transition, such as family pets and material objects.