ABSTRACT

The concepts of ‘wellbeing’ and ‘transnational families’ have come into popular usage over the last two decades. Yet, there are relatively few studies that explicitly address the wellbeing of transnational families, particularly from the perspectives of their various members. This may be because wellbeing is frequently employed in individualizing ways that do not address the impact of sociostructural issues on family wellbeing. This chapter makes a contribution to thinking simultaneously about wellbeing and transnational families, focusing particularly on children. It considers contemporary conceptualizations of wellbeing and the conceptual and methodological issues raised in studying the wellbeing of transnational families. In order to do so, it draws on the concept of intersectionality to consider the ways in which family members are multiply positioned. It presents two examples to illuminate these issues and to illustrate some fruitful methodological approaches. The chapter argues for a multidisciplinary perspective in the study of the wellbeing of transnational families that takes into account the viewpoints and experiences of the particular family members involved.