A critical reflection on the notions of family in migration studies

Abstract

In this paper I intend to discuss the issue of the relationship between the vague notion of "family" and a more thorough discussion of "kinship", always based on migratory contexts. Taking as example three cases studied within my research group, I want to highlight a critical reflection on the position of the family in migration studies. I intend to demonstrate how it is more common that the term "family" operate as an extinguisher for the differences and as part of machineries that would have difficulty being maintained in case the issue of kinship was to be seriously taken.