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Limited but Enduring Transnational Ties? Transnational Family Life among Polish Migrants in Norway

100%

Bell J., BIVAND ERDAL M.

Studia Migracyjne - Przegląd Polonijny

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2015

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vol. 41

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issue 3 (157)

77–98

EN

This paper explores the transnational family life of Polish migrants in Norway, through the analysis of the nature and extent of transnational practices and transnational identifications. We draw on debates in migration studies on the limits of transnationalism and on transnational parenting, both arguing for greater attention to the actual extent and nature of transnational ties, as a way of securing the analytical value of the term ‘transnational’. The paper builds on interviews and focus groups with 45 research participants in Bergen and Oslo (post-accession migrants, but also earlier migrants, and descendants). It conceptualizes transnational family life as: 1) transnational parenting and care responsibilities; 2) return visits and communication; and 3) changing relationship dynamics. We argue that the extent of ‘transnational’ family life among Polish migrants in Norway in general should not be exaggerated. However, the analysis of migrants’ transnational practices and transnational identifications demonstrates first, a distinction between split households and migrant households, and second of all, how these transnational identifications and practices are, in many cases, mutually constitutive dimensions. We conclude that transnational identifications, and sporadic transnational practices, may appear as weak forms of transnational family life, but that these can also be understood as enduring forms of migrant transnationalism.

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Between Virtual Intimacy and the Transfer of Family Members to the Workplace. Strategies of Migrant Care Workers to Deal with the Temporary Separation from Their Families in Poland

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Kniejska P.

Studia Migracyjne - Przegląd Polonijny

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2015

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vol. 41

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issue 3 (157)

123–138

EN

Labour migration between Poland and Germany poses challenges for migrant care workers as well as for their families. Migrant care workers have to develop strategies to compensate for their physical absence in the daily lives of their family members. Nevertheless, working in the domestic care, especially the so-called 24-hours-care offers several possibilities to deal with these challenges. The goal of this study was to find out how migrant care workers from Poland organize their family lives from a distance and to what extent do their employers or clients commit themselves for the cause. For the purpose of this study 26 problem-centred semi-structured interviews with mainly female and a few male commuter migrants from Poland were carried out. The data analysis identified two strategies of organizing family life during absence. One group fosters a so-called intimacy from distance or virtual intimacy. They use various media, for example the internet, mobile or landline phones, to almost continuously stay in contact with their families in Poland. The other group manages to create conditions at their workplace which allow them to bring along their family members (mainly small children) for a short period of time or even for the whole duration of the employment. This solution depends on an agreement and cooperation with their clients. It appeared that the presence of family members at the workplace brings both families (of migrant workers and of clients) closer and creates a fictive kinship. In some cases it leads to conflicts. The understanding on behalf of the employers and the possibilities to stay in an intense and regular contact with their family influence the migrants’ work satisfaction, increase their ability to cope with stress and encourages an extended sense of the term ‘family’.

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KAPITAŁ RODZINY I RODZINNOŚCI W PRZESTRZENI TRANSNARODOWEJ. NA PRZYKŁADZIE BADAŃ POLSKICH RODZIN W NORWEGII

51%

Slany K., Strzemecka S.

Studia Migracyjne - Przegląd Polonijny

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2016

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vol. 42

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issue 3 (161)

255–282

PL

Mass foreign mobility of Poles is a complex socio-economic phenomenon, permanently inscribed into modern Polish history. With the intensification of the processes of globalization and migration, more and more people are experiencing family life which transcends geographical boundaries, for a shorter or longer period of life. The article is based on research carried out in the framework of the international Transfam project entitled Doing family in transnational context. Demographic choices, Adaptations welfare, school integration and every-day life of Polish families living in Polish-Norwegian transnationality. The aim of the article is to analyze emotional capital as a component of social capital which builds transnational family bonds in the separation and family reunification phases from the perspective of parents and children. We assume that in the situation of migration the emotional capital is neither resource-specific to a given gender, nor is assigned to the role of the family. In transnational families both parents and children are the entities carrying emotional capital. Moreover, we claim that in the transnational space there occurs an increase in the mobilization and exchange of personal emotional capital, which translates into an increase in the supply of family and familistic capital, and consequently may contribute to the development of bridging capital. The transmission of the meaning of family, familism, relations, and migration-related emotions not only builds bridges across borders but also increases the chances for experiencing happiness and for its persistence due to gaining a sense of family closeness.

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3 Studia Migracyjne - Przegląd Polonijny

1 BIVAND ERDAL M.

1 Bell J.

1 Kniejska P.

1 Slany K.

1 Strzemecka S.

1 2016

2 2015

Limited but Enduring Transnational Ties? Transnational Family Life among Polish Migrants in Norway

Between Virtual Intimacy and the Transfer of Family Members to the Workplace. Strategies of Migrant Care Workers to Deal with the Temporary Separation from Their Families in Poland

KAPITAŁ RODZINY I RODZINNOŚCI W PRZESTRZENI TRANSNARODOWEJ. NA PRZYKŁADZIE BADAŃ POLSKICH RODZIN W NORWEGII