ABSTRACT
It can be depressing to study divorce. One uncovers so much inhumanity, so many private wars, innocent victims and petty atrocities. But studying the processes of divorce has helped us understand what people go through when marriages come apart, so some suffering can be lightened. It might give us early warnings of impending decay, so we can intervene sooner to repair relationships in trouble. Studying what happens when a love relationship breaks down might also yield new insights into the nature of love itself. Perhaps then we can take better care of it.
