Readings: Chapter 12 in the text and the week 12 article in course materials on Blackboard and respond to the following questions with one, 300-600 word post. 1. What types of changes occur in the fam

What is a transnational family?

T ransnational families are kinship connections that take place across international

borders. As migration occurs, families are often separated because of financial, legal

and political barriers. For example, if someone arrives in the U.S. on legal terms with

financial security (either from their sending country or through their employment in

America) s/he is more likely to petition for the migration of other family members to the

U.S.. In contrast, undocumented migrants or working class migrants have a challenging

time obtaining the financial and social resources necessary to reunite with family on

American soil.

Post 9/1 1 immigration laws have also made it significantly dif ficult for individuals seeking

to sponsor family members (particularly from the developing world) to live in America.

Immigration restrictions have historically shaped the ebb and flow of migrants into the

U.S. However , there are some immigrants who prefer to work in America and send

remittances, or money , home to their families who can live fairly comfortably on $300.00

U.S. dollars a month. Many immigrants from the developing world often consider

temporarily migrating to the U.S. and saving enough money to return to their home

country for retirement.

There are several types of transnational families and dif ferent reasons why families live

apart from one another . How do they cope with this situation? Many families use

technology such as the telephone, Skype, Facebook and e-mail to communicate. For

those who can, migrants will often travel back and forth between American and their

home country to visit relatives.

Readings: Chapter 12 in the text and the week 12 article in course materials on

Blackboard and respond to the following questions with one, 300-600 word post.

1. What types of changes occur in the family dynamics of transnational families?

How do families cope with these challenges?

2. How are children and families af fected by this distance?

3. Discuss the gender constraints in raising transnational families.