Understanding Love Relationships in a Global Context: Supporting Couples Across Cultures

This chapter provides an introduction to the volume. It takes into account the cultural contexts in which the couple’s relationship is embedded. Individualism and collectivism are considered to be key cultural dimensions, which influence interpersonal behaviour in different regions of the world. The effects of globalization, of large migration flows, of technological advances and digital media, and the way these impact on how couples relate to each other are taken into account. The meaning of love and intimacy among couples in the midst of this unprecedented change are explored. Power and gender are key dynamic forces of the relationship and the emergence of couple diversity is considered as a hallmark of the twenty-first century. The running threads that are emerging across the globe are highlighted. Ways of positioning ourselves as family and couple therapists are discussed. To conclude, reference is made to ways of supporting couples and their families from a therapeutic perspective, at a community level as well as through policy.