Mobilizing family science in the digital era: A critical retrospective of the JFTR digital scholarship board

Abstract

As digital platforms increasingly shape how families connect and gather information, family science must adapt its communication strategies to remain relevant and impactful. The Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) Digital Scholarship Board (DSB) was created to translate scholarly insights into accessible content for scholars, practitioners, and the public. Using conceptual scaffolding from Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model and insights about media framing, we examine how the DSB functions within the virtual microsystem, linking academic research to individuals through mediated communication. Drawing on 10 years of DSB history and engagement data, we examine how shifting digital infrastructures reshaped the DSB's strategies and reach. We discuss tensions related to mistrust in science, platform transitions, content format, and academic labor that underlie this work. Ultimately, we argue that digital scholarship is vital to the public relevance of family science and offer lessons for sustaining meaningful research dissemination in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.