Abstract
Abstract for Love Studies Conference-2
14-16 MARCH 2025
Maintaining Sexual Intimacy, While Living Apart Together Transnationally
Research background: This paper explores maintaining the sexual relationship of couples who live apart across nations yet are intimately attached. Living under the same roof and sharing geographical proximity is often considered a defining feature of intimate couples, however, challenged by increased globalisation and an increasing number of couples living apart together (LAT) in the past decades. This phenomenon, especially sexual aspects, has received limited academic attention and is investigated through a newly coined term – living apart together transnationally (LATT).
The aims of the study and methods:The empirical study forming the basis of this paper had an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, though drawing primarily from social - psychology with a decolonising approach. Broad social contexts, including immigration policies and the normative ‘gender- order’ form a background. Maintaining intimacy through distance was explored through legal and social matters, followed by emotional aspects, concepts of digital technology, physical intimacy, and spirituality. The participants were current/former LATT couples residing in two countries for at least one year, primarily because of their jobs /education and having elements of choice in living apart. Besides Denmark, the participants lived in ten countries. Methodologically, a qualitative research approach was used. In-depth, face-to-face or online interviews were conducted with 20 couples, 17 heterosexual and three in same-sex relationships. The narratives were subjected to interpretive thematic analysis.
Highlights of results and conclusions: Most couples were able to maintain this unconventional form of intimate relationships across nations. Digital technology contributes to maintaining emotional intimacy for many and physical for some. Cherishing the memories of sexual togetherness when they were apart, reflected in OSA, telephone sex, are some of the ways. OSA (online sexual activities), specifically sexting associated with 'partnered – arousal activities' shows various forms, though some couples use only in the first phase of their love relationship. However, a number of participants are hesitant about online sexual activity, focusing on the negative aspects, such as a deep mistrust of social media, considering it a vehicle of power. Missing the touch of the partner, is yet another negative aspect of online sexual activity, partly countered by Haptics. Consensual non-monogamous CNM, an umbrella term involving 'open sexual relations with other persons/ 'don't ask, don't tell’ along with continued emotional exclusivity, is one of the ways to avoid jealousy as well as fulfilling a sexual need among a couple, who participated in the study. Overall, 4-5% of people in a relationship are currently part of a CNM relationship. The final finding is that love and intimacy go beyond physical, sexual gratification, and the use of digital technology, and includes trust, commitment, understanding, shared knowledge, spirituality and beyond.
There is more to love than loving.
14-16 MARCH 2025
Maintaining Sexual Intimacy, While Living Apart Together Transnationally
Research background: This paper explores maintaining the sexual relationship of couples who live apart across nations yet are intimately attached. Living under the same roof and sharing geographical proximity is often considered a defining feature of intimate couples, however, challenged by increased globalisation and an increasing number of couples living apart together (LAT) in the past decades. This phenomenon, especially sexual aspects, has received limited academic attention and is investigated through a newly coined term – living apart together transnationally (LATT).
The aims of the study and methods:The empirical study forming the basis of this paper had an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, though drawing primarily from social - psychology with a decolonising approach. Broad social contexts, including immigration policies and the normative ‘gender- order’ form a background. Maintaining intimacy through distance was explored through legal and social matters, followed by emotional aspects, concepts of digital technology, physical intimacy, and spirituality. The participants were current/former LATT couples residing in two countries for at least one year, primarily because of their jobs /education and having elements of choice in living apart. Besides Denmark, the participants lived in ten countries. Methodologically, a qualitative research approach was used. In-depth, face-to-face or online interviews were conducted with 20 couples, 17 heterosexual and three in same-sex relationships. The narratives were subjected to interpretive thematic analysis.
Highlights of results and conclusions: Most couples were able to maintain this unconventional form of intimate relationships across nations. Digital technology contributes to maintaining emotional intimacy for many and physical for some. Cherishing the memories of sexual togetherness when they were apart, reflected in OSA, telephone sex, are some of the ways. OSA (online sexual activities), specifically sexting associated with 'partnered – arousal activities' shows various forms, though some couples use only in the first phase of their love relationship. However, a number of participants are hesitant about online sexual activity, focusing on the negative aspects, such as a deep mistrust of social media, considering it a vehicle of power. Missing the touch of the partner, is yet another negative aspect of online sexual activity, partly countered by Haptics. Consensual non-monogamous CNM, an umbrella term involving 'open sexual relations with other persons/ 'don't ask, don't tell’ along with continued emotional exclusivity, is one of the ways to avoid jealousy as well as fulfilling a sexual need among a couple, who participated in the study. Overall, 4-5% of people in a relationship are currently part of a CNM relationship. The final finding is that love and intimacy go beyond physical, sexual gratification, and the use of digital technology, and includes trust, commitment, understanding, shared knowledge, spirituality and beyond.
There is more to love than loving.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Publikationsdato | 15 mar. 2025 |
| Status | Udgivet - 15 mar. 2025 |
| Begivenhed | 2nd International Conference on Love Studies - Online Varighed: 14 mar. 2025 → 16 mar. 2025 Konferencens nummer: 2 https://love-studies-institute.org/second-conference-on-love-studies-online/ |
Konference
| Konference | 2nd International Conference on Love Studies |
|---|---|
| Nummer | 2 |
| Lokation | Online |
| Periode | 14/03/2025 → 16/03/2025 |
| Andet | Topics of love have become popular across many academic fields, such as anthropology, sociology, psychology, biology, linguistics, literary studies, history, philosophy, religious studies, and other disciplines. The increasing number of studies on love worldwide has gotten to the point where academics and practitioners who are interested in this topic want to have a special platform dedicated to the exchange of ideas and research findings and a forum for dialogue and discussion. Therefore, the conference was truly multidisciplinary and international in its scope.<br/><br/>After the great success of the First International Conference on Love Studies, which the Institute of Love Studies convened in January of 2024, many researchers from around the world expressed interest in having the Second Conference focused on research on love.<br/><br/>This 2nd Conference continued the mission of the 1st Conference launched in 2024 and brought together researchers and practitioners from various disciplines as well as non-academic professionals to speak about their research projects and findings. The diverse themes of the conference included love as internal experiences and expressions as well as interpersonal relationships. The conference considered love in the varieties of its meanings, cultural models, social forms, and individual types. It was open to different methodologies from different fields of research.<br/><br/>Scholarly knowledge of love is scattered across many disciplines around the world. The aim of the conferences on love studies is to enrich the research-based knowledge of love through cross-pollination of ideas and findings from various disciplines and countries. We hope that these conferences bring this diverse knowledge together in a scholarly framework that is both universal and culturally specific. Such an interdisciplinary and international forums of love researchers bring numerous and diverse studies of love and practices into a complex and comprehensive picture of research-based knowledge. |
| Internetadresse |
Emneord
- increased globalisation
- a newly coined term – living apart together transnationally (LATT)
- psychology with a decolonising approach
- eclectic framework
- a qualitative research approach
- 20 couples, 17 heterosexual and three in same-sex relationships
- Digital technology
- OSA (online sexual activities
- Consensual non-m NM
- includes trust, commitment, understanding, shared knowledge, spirituality and beyond
