Kissing the screen? Transnational grandparenting, personal networks & ICTs

Taking the perspective of grandparents living in the origin country (Poland), we examine a range of ties within their social networks, not only transnational ones but also family ties in-country with both close-by and geographically dispersed relatives. Thus, we are looking at transnational ties as part of interlocking personal networks spanning distances, including internal migration. By comparing grandparents’ interactions with those who are near and far, we advance understanding of how distance impacts feelings of closeness and bonding between generations. Although technology helps maintain contact, especially transnationally, it does not offer a full multisensory experience—a limitation which becomes evident when compared with in-person childcare and family socialising.

In this webinar we will discuss our recent article ‘I Kiss the Screen, But It Is Not the Same’ — Grandparenting in Geographically Dispersed Families’ (2025). Global Networks, Volume 25, Issue 2 (open access).

Speakers

Presenters:

Louise Ryan is Senior Professor of Sociology and Director of the Global Diversities and Inequalities Research Centre, London Metropolitan University. Louise has a particular interest in migration, including intra-EU mobility and more recently refugee resettlement, and has published many highly cited articles on migrant social networks.

Weronika Kloc-Nowak is a researcher in migration, sociology of family and social demography at the University of Warsaw and Deputy Director of its Centre of Migration Research.

Discussant:

Mihaela Nedelcu is Titular Professor of Sociology at the Institute of Sociology & Laboratoire d'études des processus sociaux, Faculty of Humanities, University of Neuchâtel. She has contributed profoundly to the analysis of transnational dynamics mediated by ICTs, highlighting models and dynamics of copresence at a distance, and the various configurations of transnational family networks.

This is an online event organized by the IMISCOE Standing Committee ‘Families, Welfare, Care and The Life Course’ and hosted virtually by the Centre of Migration Research, University of Warsaw.

After registering, participants will receive a Zoom link to join the webinar.

The webinar will be recorded and published on the CMR YouTube channel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please read the information regarding the processing of personal data before registration.

Information regarding the processing of personal data pursuant to art. 13 GDPR*

1. The administrator of your personal data is the University of Warsaw with headquarters at Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, 00-927 Warsaw. You can contact the administrator by selecting one of the forms of contact available on the website: https://www.uw.edu.pl/kontakt/

2. The administrator has appointed a Data Protection Officer supervising the correctness of personal data processing who can be contacted via the following e-mail address: iod@adm.uw.edu.pl;

3. Your personal data will be processed so that you can receive the link and take part in the IMISCOE SC FamWeLC webinar. The basis for the processing of personal data is the consent for data processing (Article 6, paragraph 1 a GDPR). The consent may be withdrawn at any time by sending an e-mail to the following address: w.kloc-nowak@uw.edu.pl

4. Personal data will be made available to authorized employees of the University of Warsaw, they may also be made available to conference partners as well as entities authorized under the law.

5. Registration for the event is carried out via Eventbrite. Your data will be processed by the form provider –Eventbrite– in its data centers in Europe and the USA. In Europe your data will be protected by the standards set out in the Privacy Shield, approved by the European Commission. This will give your data an appropriate level of security.

6. Based on the terms set out by the GDPR, you have the right to: access your personal data, rectify them, remove them, limit their processing and withdraw your consent at any time.

7. Providing data is voluntary, however, if you do not provide data, you will not be able to take part in this webinar.

8. You have the right to lodge a complaint to the President of the Office for Personal Data Protection if you feel that the processing violates the provisions of the GDPR;

Clause of consent

By registering for this event I agree to the processing of my personal data in the scope specified in the above information by the University of Warsaw in order to take part in the IMISCOE SC FamWeLC webinar series. I know that I have the right to withdraw my consent at any time by sending an email to w.kloc-nowak@uw.edu.pl. I have read the above information obligation.