Distant Relationships in Transnational Families and Kinship Networks: The Case of Turkish Migrants in Germany

Abstract

Family relationships among current migrants are sometimes spread over large geographical distances and across national borders. In this chapter, I consider transnational families and kinship networks as spatial phenomena, focusing not only on evidence regarding transnational families within migration processes but also on the significance of spatial distance for the everyday lives of these families. Narrative interviews with Turkish migrants in Germany show that families and kinship networks find it difficult to pursue various kinds of relationship maintenance equally within a transnational context. By distinguishing three patterns for managing transnational relationships, I argue that the physical separation of family members and relatives is to be seen not only as problematic but also as beneficial for families and kinship networks.