Transnational Emotions and Regimes of Care

Globalization is one of the most anticipated phenomena in the world today is. Though it’s not new, the phenomenon has received increased publicity in recent decades. Globalization refers to the process of integration and interaction of companies, governments and people across the globe. It is driven by investment and trade with the help of information technology. Globalization is bound to affect a wide array of issues. These include culture, environment, political systems, economic development and the well-being of people amongst other issues. Regarding the latter, globalization is likely to influence the population’s emotional well-being ( Skrbiš, 2008 ; Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). This essay is aimed at highlighting the impacts of the changing global space on peoples’ emotions. 

Globalization and human emotions 

Svašek & Skrbiš (2007) argue that there is need to explore the connection between globalization and human emotions. This is because the impact of globalization on human sociality cannot be ignored. For instance, the process of globalization is responsible for reconfiguring human relations, reshaping social institutions and generating ‘regrounding’ and ‘uprooting’ experiences. There is also a consensus amongst scholars that to understand the experiences of people as the world becomes interconnected and globalized, there is need to theorize emotions ( Skrbiš, 2008 ). This is because emotional processes play a vital role in the global transit of people, ideas and practices, images, objects and vice versa. It is also important to theorize how emotions, migration and belonging are understood and experienced in the context of transnational families ( Skrbiš, 2008 ). 

The emotional dynamics of individuals are critical because they influence the individuals' perception of the world and play a role in shaping their knowledge of it. Further, it is difficult to understand emotional processes by only focusing on individuals ( Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007).This is because emotions are more often felt in social contexts. For instance, for small children to develop their sense of self, they have to be taught by those around them how to react emotionally to the surroundings. It is through this process that they learn how and when to show such emotions as anger, joy, grief, empathy amongst other emotions. Due to its social context, the learning process is group-specific. Thus, discussions on emotions are influenced by such factors as gender and family identities as well as family histories. 

The nexus between peoples’ emotional lives and their culture cannot be overstated in the wake of globalization. However, it has to be understood in the context of the dynamic movement of people and their associated images, ideologies and objects across cultural, social and geographical boundaries. In the process, changes are experienced as the people engage with the past, present as well as future environments and experiences ( Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). It is these factors that shape emotional processes during globalization. For instance, people are likely to experience emotions when they experience mobility either as migrants, tourists, refugees or employees in foreign nations. The same applies when they experience unfamiliar landscapes, routine and ideas ( Skrbiš, 2008 ). Further, emotional coping mechanisms are necessary when people are confronted with gradual or rapid political change that may be as a result of transnational forces ( Skrbiš, 2008 ; Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). Moreover, global economic processes are likely to affect local economies, in the process creating opportunities and restrictions at the same time. These changes are likely to influence the emotions of people globally. 

Globalization and transnational movement of people, objects and ideas 

Globalization leads to the creation of new experiences. These may be associated with experimentation, risk-taking or self-expression, and may result in new forms of anxieties and apprehension ( Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). This implies that globalization and the resultant individualism involve emotional struggles related to both internal and external experiences. To understand the interaction of mobility and emotions in the context of globalization, three forms of movement should be considered. These include the movement of people, objects/images and ideas/practices ( Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). People who are trans-nationally mobile are tied in numerous ways to their friends and family back home ( Skrbiš, 2008 ). However, they also get attached to their new environment, learn new ways of expressing feelings, and their hopes and expectations of the future are shaped by their new home ( Skrbiš, 2008 ; Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). This transnational existence is difficult and strains their relationship to their homeland. Global inequality also shapes emotional interaction in transnational families. For instance, migration may result in feelings of marginalization among the migrants. This may be due to discrimination or communication barriers between the migrants and inhabitants of the receiving nation. Thus, trans-nationally mobile individuals are likely to experience emotional destabilization when their emotional dispositions as learnt from their mother country become unacceptable in their new homes. 

Globalization facilitates the widespread dispersion of political and other vital ideologies. It also makes it possible for the rapid and in some instances forceful spread of religious practices or ideas, including such emotionally-charged ideologies as fundamentalism. This may result in new principles that are driven by highly emotional discourses and practices. Aspects such as music genres, dance styles, and intimacy and marital practices may be spread this way ( Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). For instance, regarding the latter, both the choice of partners and marriage patterns have to be negotiated trans-nationally. In this case, the technicalities of forming a relationship and maintaining it become core factors in the governance of intimacy. On the other hand, trans-nationally mobile images and objects are entrenched in emotional dynamics. The transit of images and objects across various national boundaries is driven by various types of human mobility. These range from the permanent settlement of immigrants, to the temporary relocation of travelers and workers as well as the brief visits of tourists or international event participants. When placed in new settings, objects in transit gain new emotional efficacy and meaning ( Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). Consequently, traders are forced to respond to the desires and demands of the customers. A notable example, in this case, is the global art market. In some instances, the transit of some cultural artifacts may attract or infuriate people in the new environment. For instance, some Europeans have viewed Muslim headscarves as positive religious expressions while others have viewed them as symbols of a strange culture. 

Criticism and personal opinion 

One notable criticism of the discourse on emotions is the argument that emotions exist within individuals. In this regard, numerous scholars reckon that emotional processes make the boundary between sociality and individuality blurred ( Svašek & Skrbiš , 2007). An alternative narrative has been that if people lack emotional commitment, they are likely to be indifferent to their environment. Likewise, there is the notion that emotions are likely to affect judgment. Despite this, I believe that emotions cannot be decoupled from the discourse on globalization. I also support the view that transnational family relationships are not only demanding physically but also emotionally, and thus deserve attention. With globalization these relationships are inevitable. I also think that to understand the relationship between emotions and globalization, there is a need to borrow from various fields of study. These include philosophy, medical studies and social sciences. Thus, to understand the phenomenon a multidisciplinary approach is necessary. This is because different theoretical approaches are necessary in understanding the complex nature of the relationship. 

References 

Skrbiš, Z. (2008). Transnational families: Theorising migration, emotions and belonging.  Journal of intercultural studies ,  29 (3), 231-246.

Svašek, M., & Skrbiš, Z. (2007). Passions and powers: Emotions and globalisation.  Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power ,  14 (4), 367-383.