Abstract
This paper elaborates an interdisciplinary explanation of intergenerational and grandparental alienation as a type of relational coercion that the existing institutional environment can reinforce. It suggests that, in addition to interpersonal conflict, alienation can be held in check by narrative, therapeutic, media, and family-law processes, especially when a more or less uniform set of standards, such as the best interests of the child, is employed without sufficient regard for the continuity of extended families. The two high-profile cases used in the manuscript and analyzed qualitatively and interpretively through a review of publicly available stories and legal circumstances contrast how estrangement may be justified in different arenas: symbolic alienation through reputational and media dynamics, and juridical alienation through custody, relocation, and court processes. The manuscript concludes with reform-based recommendations, including more evidentiary criteria, more explicit recognition of intergenerational harms, and protection against coercive control dynamics that may be exercised under the umbrella of safety and empowerment.
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