An Idealizing Showcase: Uses of Family Websites

By Fanny Carmagnat, Julie Deville, Aurélia Mardon
English

Family sites are the personal pages of a particular family group. Since access is restricted to the group, the question of the family’s limits naturally arises. Most sites are opened on the initiative of an individual (the administrator) who invites the members of his/her family to join and then tends to retain a predominant role on the site, despite the wish for collective use. By reestablishing contact within the family, these sites constitute a noteworthy contribution to family communication, especially in cases where members are reluctant to use more traditional means. Based on the model of the family reunion, they convey an idealized image of the family in which all potentially conflictual subjects are avoided and good humour is de rigueur.

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