Informal Care in the Digital Space

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue emphasizes the importance of incorporating digital practices into academic discourse on informal care. Informal care can be understood as (1) unpaid care arrangements and support systems that are (2) provided by non-professional individuals and (3) tailored to the specific needs and experiences of individuals, whose condition or wellbeing would deteriorate or fail to improve without the assistance of others.

With the growth of digitalization, spaces of informal care are fundamentally changing due to altered relations of proximity and distance. However, considering that dominant narratives on informal care largely neglect digitally mediated relationship constellations, a substantial amount of informal care carried out in the digital space remains largely invisible to society. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to explore the intersection of informal care and the digital realm, delving into the various ways technology impacts, facilitates, or transforms informal care practices. The purpose of this Special Issue is to present research that explores theoretical and methodological aspects, along with empirical studies and practical applications in this field.

The editor seeks submissions including (but not limited to) the following topics:

• Theoretical and methodological approaches to study digitization and informal care;
• (The role of platforms or technologies in) how traditional gender roles manifest or transform within the context of digital informal care practices;
• Informal care networks in queer identity-affirming virtual environments;
• Digital kinship, emotional support and nurturing relationships online;
• New digital technologies designed to facilitate and support informal care practices;
• Sociocultural factors influencing the adoption of digital technologies in informal care;
• Ethical and legal aspects surrounding the digital informal care landscape;
• Digitally mediated informal care practices in the professional context.

The provided list of topics is not exhaustive, and contributors are encouraged to explore various dimensions related to the overarching theme. I am looking forward to diverse perspectives that contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the intersection between informal care and the digital space.

Dr. Laura Wiesböck
Guest Editor

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• digitalization
• digital technology
• digital platforms
• social media
• informal care
• care networks
• online communities