Beskrivelse
Small stories and identity construction in transnational young adults Identity construction work has been claimed to be particularly salient during the transition from youth to adulthood and with recent societal changes in post-industrialized Western societies continues to be salient up to the mid-twenties or what has been referred to as emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2007). With the challenges of our globalized world and highly mobilized life styles, an increasing number of young adults are faced today with the challenge of working abroad for extended periods of time. This has lead to an increasing number of long-distance couple relationships crossing national boarders. Little is known, however, of how these new forms of family migration affect issues of identity and what sustains stable relationships under these conditions. The present study therefore addresses identity construction among young adults who live in transnational partner relationships. It takes a narrative approach to the study of identity. More specifically, it draws on the increasing recognition that identity construction is locally achieved in telling of small stories in every day interaction (Bamberg & Georgakopoulou, 2008). The focus lies on how couples in long-distance transnational relationships manage to successfully construct narrative identities along the following three dilemmatic spaces (Bamberg, 2010): (1) between constancy and change (then/there vs. here/now), (2) between sameness and difference (between self and other), (3) between agency vs. passivity (agent vs. undergoer) in light of the challenges that go hand in hand with transnationalism. The study consists of interviews with 20 young German academics in dual career positions living in a transnational marriage relationship, as well as of video recorded web-based interactions of these couples. Analysis follows the procedures of micro-analytic positioning analysis as put forward by Bamberg (e.g., 2010). Preliminary results will be presented and discussed in light of the potential of narrative identity research for strengthening resilience in transnational relationships.| Periode | 12 jul. 2014 |
|---|---|
| Begivenhedstitel | Biannual conference of the International Society of Social and Behavioral Development |
| Begivenhedstype | Konference |
| Placering | Shanghai, KinaVis på kort |