The age of globalisation has favoured international migration. Current studies on this topic have begun adopting the transnationalism approach. Accordingly, not only is the influence of migrants on the destination location being investigated; the relationships that occur at a distance with the place of origin are being examined also. In this respect, the family has come to form the core component of research on migration and transnationalism. Therefore, in this study, a systematic bibliographical review has been carried out to analyse the situation with regard to families from the transnationalism perspective. The findings have been divided into two subject blocks: “Block 1. Reflections on the notion of transnationalism: a broad concept linked to migration”; and “Block 2. The transnational family: an approach to its conceptualisation”. It is concluded that transnationalism provides an especially relevant approach in the study of international migration. However, the transnational family has been represented based on the parameters of the traditional family model and in keeping with current gender roles. The need to conduct research covering a broader perspective of the social reality, which addresses this issue, is considered. This paper aims to serve as an advisory guide for social agents (particularly social workers) in their work with migrants and, specifically, with transnational families.
Article
International migration and the transnational family: a systematic review
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