Open AccessMobility Restrictions and Transnational Families: How COVID-19 Pandemic May Affect Families and Caring for Children?
Author(s) -
Irena Juozeliūnienė,
Gintė Martinkėnė,
Irma BudginaitėMačkinė,
Laimutė Žilinskienė
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
filosofija. sociologija
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.214
H-Index - 10
eISSN - 2424-4546
pISSN - 0235-7186
DOI - 10.6001/fil-soc.v32i4.4616
Subject(s) - lithuanian , affect (linguistics) , residence , pandemic , political science , covid-19 , family reunification , sociology , economic growth , immigration , medicine , law , economics , philosophy , linguistics , demography , disease , communication , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
In this article, we analyse how global mobility restrictions related to COVID-19 may affect Lithuanian transnational families and transnational practices of parenting. The article draws on the data from the quota-based survey, implemented while carrying out the research project ‘Global Migration and Lithuanian Family: Family Practices, Circulation of Care and Return Strategies’ (No. S-MIP-17-117), funded by the Lithuanian Research Council, to analyse the transnational care practices that require the mobility of family members. The challenges created by the pandemic are discussed while analysing the data from the case studies of transnational families. The article reveals that the free mobility of family members in the global world is an important part of the transnational care practices, ensuring continuity of family relations and childcare, regardless of the residence of the family members. The anti-mobility regimes create challenges to family unity, intergenerational relations and give ground to the emergence of new stigmas.