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Mobilities and Communication Technologies: Transforming Care in Family Life

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Book cover Family Life in an Age of Migration and Mobility

Part of the book series: Migration, Diasporas and Citizenship ((MDC))

Abstract

In this chapter, I argue that any discussion of migration and mobilities in contemporary family life leads directly to an analysis of the role of new media and communication technologies in sustaining relationships across distance. Using ethnographic case studies that highlight different types of care exchange in diverse families, I examine a series of propositions about how a migration, mobilities and communication technologies lens helps us to re-examine and revalue care in migrant and ‘mobile’ family life. A care circulation framework is presented as a methodological tool that helps to avoid the implicit normative valuing of certain types of care, and caregiving relationships, over others. The chapter concludes with some reflections on the limits of distant care and policy implications.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology and Sociology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Loretta Baldassar

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  1. Loretta Baldassar
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Correspondence to Loretta Baldassar .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

    Majella Kilkey

  2. Department of Gender Studies, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany

    Ewa Palenga-Möllenbeck

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Baldassar, L. (2016). Mobilities and Communication Technologies: Transforming Care in Family Life. In: Kilkey, M., Palenga-Möllenbeck, E. (eds) Family Life in an Age of Migration and Mobility. Migration, Diasporas and Citizenship. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52099-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52099-9_2

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-52097-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-52099-9

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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