Managing kinship over long distances: the significance of “the visit”

Abstract

This article explores the meaning of ‘the visit’ to Pakistan by a sample of people living in the North of England, with relatives in Pakistan. It argues that the visit has a particular symbolic and practical significance in the maintenance of transnational kin relationships. Visiting involves travelling and ‘co-presence’ with people, as well as in a place – in this case, Pakistan. It is particularly important in the process of ‘knowing’ one's geographically distant relatives, and in ‘doing things together’ and ‘being there at key moments’. These elements are woven together with other ways of keeping in touch in between visits, and help to sustain family narratives of ‘the regular visit’ and the kinship network that is active over distances and over time. The visit was also important in helping to confirm a sense of belonging or affinity with Pakistan, even though for many in the study England was seen as home. However, visiting involves complex and sometimes difficult sets of negotiations and decisions about propriety, morality, exchange, and belonging in transnational kin relationships.