Oneself for another: The construction of intimacy in a world of strangers

Abstract

Drawing on the stories of 12 migrants from Latin America who live in Belgium, and following a poetic methodological approach, this paper focuses on the extraordinary and magical moments of family vacation times in places where the family has biographical linkages. The work illustrates how traveling to these mystical places and immersing oneself back there temporarily on a typical day-to-day routine, supports the family in the process of re-imagining a past that was previously unknown for some family members and barely perceived in Belgium. The paper draws the reader's attention to how certain experiences of consumption, which occur in special micro-places, during exceptional times, play an essential role in the processes of shaping a unique family history in a world of strangers. © 2015 Elsevier Inc..