Abstract

BARBAS, Andreia. Siblings and Intimacy(Ies): Cohabitation and Family Practices in the Construction of Sibling’s Relationships. SOCIOLOGIA ON LINE [online]. 2023, n.32, pp.91-111.  Epub Dec 07, 2023. ISSN 1647-3337.  https://doi.org/10.30553/sociologiaonline.2023.32.4.

The article explores how intimacy is constructed and represented in siblings’ relationships, establishing cohabitation and family practices as enhancers in this connection. Based on 68 interviews and using photo-elicitation, which gathers 25 sibling groups, of which 9 half-siblings and 16 full-siblings, our aim was to understand what makes intimate, closer and “sticky” siblings’ relationships. The data shows that intimacy is not innate to kinship, but created, reproduced, and sustained in everyday life, through time - in individual and family trajectories - and generated in space - mostly in the cohabitation phase. Looking at intimacy in this way allows i) to recognise distinct levels of intimacy and renounce the idealization and uniformity of this object; ii) demonstrate that these relationships are not built exclusively by the blood tie and that they need other elements to be consolidated, reinforced and (re)confirmed.

Keywords : siblings; intimacy; everyday life; siblings’ relationships..

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