The family life of the Maltese who work in EU institutions : a case study of transnational kinship

Abstract

This dissertation analyses the transnational lives and kinship relations of Maltese citizens currently working for the European Union institutions based in Brussels and Luxembourg. Respondents attributed a lot of importance to the contributions made by the formal infrastructures of the European Union as these help to facilitate their transnational family lives. Moreover,= technologies of communication, in particular the internet, are seen as vital in maintaining these transnational relations; without them such relationships would not be sustained as effectively as one may desire. Technologies of communication are perceived as a means through which they can remain in contact with their kin even though living at a distance from them. Such a finding however does not indicate that place does not matter. Place matters still as physical presence is still attributed a lot of importance. This is clearly portrayed in the frequency of visits made by some of my informants. Thus, even though these technologies of remote communication successfully sustain relationships, they can never fully replace physical presence.