Abstract (eng)
Against the backdrop of increasing international mobility, the formation of transnational families, that is, families with connections to multiple nation-states, is observed. Therefore, transnational separations and divorces become relevant, requiring the construction of transnational separation and divorce biographies across borders. Separations and divorces are emotional processes that all involved parties must navigate. Building on this premise, this master's thesis delves into how mothers in the phase of family reorganization processes following separation and divorce in transnational settings cope with emotions. Drawing on theoretical concepts of emotion work by Arlie Hochschild, emotional reflexivity by Mary Holmes and Ian Burkitt, and the ambiguous loss theory by Pauline Boss, the thesis explores the extent to which mothers engage in emotional reflexivity as well as the emotion work, they perform within their families. The master's thesis is situated within the context of a qualitative study on international custody disputes conducted at the institute of sociology at the University of Vienna. The sample of the thesis comprises interviews with seven mothers. Through fine-grained and thematic analysis, results within three main areas were identified. Firstly, mothers find themselves in an emotionally straining context that they feel like navigating alone and that is characterized by uncertainty. Secondly, they experience a variety of emotions, including feelings of dependency, powerlessness, and guilt. To cope with these emotions, thirdly, four strategies were identified through which mothers, following normative feeling rules, manage emotions and engage in emotional reflexivity. The emotional experiences of mothers contrast with societal and legal expectations of emotionless and rational processes and decisions within family reorganization.