“I can hug her with my eyes”: Virtualization of affection in connected transnational families

Abstract

This paper explores how the accessibility to and appropriation of information and communication technologies (ICT) has enabled a group of Ecuadorian transnational families to virtualize their expressions of affection. A thematic analysis was applied to examine 41 interviews with a) Ecuadorian migrants who live in Spain, b) relatives of migrants who remain in Ecuador, and c) migrants who have returned to Ecuador while some of their family members remain in Spain. The findings suggest that ICT allows them to adopt strategies to function as connected transnational families because the connectivity that accompanies migrants in the destination country (Spain) shifts to families in the country of origin (Ecuador), thus establishing more symmetric communicational exchanges. Furthermore, migrants who have returned to Ecuador use ICT to sustain the relational continuity of affection with the members of their families in both places.