Transnational grandparenting: the intersection of transnationalism and translocality

Abstract

Using the case of transnational childcare by Chinese grandparents in Canada, this chapter presents a perspective on transnational grandparenting beyond a narrow cultural lens. Drawing on theories of transnationalism and translocality, it analyses three interconnected aspects of transnational grandparenting: (1) intergenerational love in the context of neoliberal care restructuring; (2) intergenerational families in the context of border control; and (3) generational reciprocity in the context of cultural rupture. It is concluded that an exploration of the intersection of transnationalism and translocality can contribute to a broader, contextualised perspective from which to understand the dynamics, dissonance, and effects of transnational grandparenting. This approach shows promise for revealing the complex intersections, including tensions, between mobility and locality, and thus allows a less linear and more open and inclusive conceptualisation of the manifold ways in which transnational grandparenting is constituted.