Transnational intergenerational solidarity: an ambivalence and conflict typology of the relations between Portuguese migrants and their parents

A substantial number of studies, in a wide range of European countries and beyond, have being focusing attention on the research field of intergenerational solidarity within families, and on its crucial role in maintaining ties and cohesiveness between members. However, transnational families with parents in the home country are a specific case. This paper aims to address the gaps in the literature on intergenerational solidarity by drawing on a mixed methodology. First, a survey conducted with over 300 Portuguese emigrant adult-children and an in-depth qualitative study including semi-structured interviews with 22 Portuguese adult-children living in another European country. We address this gap by constructing a typology of adult child-parent relations of Portuguese migrants in a transnational context. We extended this advance through the notion that concepts of conflict and ambivalence allow for positive and negative aspects of intergenerational relationships to occur at the same time. More precisely, conflict and ambivalence might operate as transversal variables able to interfere and qualify differently each solidarity dimension and “explain” particular interactions between dimensions; and, as a consequence, give rise to a variety of solidarity patterns.