Dr Mary Holmes (University of Edinburgh) gave a paper on ‘Emotional Reflexivity in Distance Relationships‘ as part of the Sociology seminar series at the University of Glasgow on 5 March 2014. Before her talk, we got a chance to have a quick chat with Dr Holmes about her research, distance relationships and what she means by ‘emotionalization of reflexivity'.

 

To listen to the interview, please follow this link.

 

Abstract 

Emotional reflexivity is increasingly necessary within globalised conditions of intimate life. This paper briefly sets out a theoretical framework for understanding this emotionalization of reflexivity and illustrates it with the help of a small qualitative study of dual-career, dual-residence couples in distance relationships in the UK. It is argued that these couples provide a glimpse of the way in which such emotional reflexivity operates by taking account of structural constraints, the feelings of others, feelings about ‘home’ and about the future. Overall the aim is to use these insights to develop a more embodied, relational and emotional model of reflexivity, ntimacy and of social life more broadly.


First published: 5 March 2014