What is Transnationalism? And What are Transnational Practices?

In this explainer video we will be looking at the concept of transnationalism and transnational practices. Activities and identities are no longer bound to the borders of the nation-state. Instead, activities take place and identities are formed on a “transnational” scale.

0:00 Introduction
1:00 The definition of transnationalism amongst academics
3:33 What are transnational practices?
5:40 Why has transnationalism become more important over time?
7:03 Transnationalism as an adjective: Transnational phenomenon
7:45 Conclusion

References
• Ahrens, J., & King, R. (2022). Onward Migration and Transnationalism: What Are the Interconnections?. In Onward Migration and Multi-Sited Transnationalism: Complex Trajectories, Practices and Ties (pp. 1-22). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
• Basch, L., Glick Schiller, N., & Blanc-Szanton, C. (Eds.). (1994). Nations unbound: Transnational projects, postcolonial predicaments, and deterritorialized nation-states. New York: Routledge.
• Bouras, N. (2015). Shifting perspectives on transnationalism: analysing Dutch political discourse on Moroccan migrants' transnational ties, 1960–2010. In The Language of Inclusion and Exclusion in Immigration and Integration (pp. 97-109). New York: Routledge.
• Ehrkamp, P. (2005). Placing identities: Transnational practices and local attachments of Turkish immigrants in Germany. Journal of Ethnic and Migration studies, 31(2), 345-364.
• Glick Schiller, N., Basch, L., & Blanc-Santon, C. (1992). Towards a transnational perspective on migration: race, class, ethnicity and nationalism reconsidered. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 645, 1–24.
• Guarnizo, L. E., Portes, A., & Haller, W. (2003). Assimilation and transnationalism: Determinants of transnational political action among contemporary migrants. American Journal of Sociology, 108(6), 1211–1248.
• IOM (2010). Migration and Transnationalism: Opportunities and Challenges. IOM Background Paper. Geneva: International Organization for Migration.
• Itzigsohn, J., Dore Cabral, C., Hernandez Medina, E., & Vazquez, O. (1999). Mapping Dominican transnationalism: Narrow and broad transnational practices. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 22(2), 316–339.
• Levitt, P. (2001). The transnational villagers. Berkely: California University Press.
• Levitt, P. & Glick Schiller, N. (2004). Conceptualizing Simultaneity: A Transnational Social Field Perspective on Society. International Migration Review, 38 (3): 1002-1039.
• Levitt, P., DeWind, J., & Vertovec, S. (2003). International perspectives on transnational migration: An introduction. International migration review, 37(3), 565-575.
• Mazzucato, V. (2008) The Double Engagement: Transnationalism and Integration. Ghanaian Migrants’ Lives Between Ghana and The Netherlands. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 34(2), 199-216.
• Mazzucato, V. (2011). Reverse remittances in the migration–development nexus: Two-way flows between Ghana and the Netherlands. Population, Space and Place, 17(5), 454–468.
• Portes, A., Guarnizo, L.E. & Landolt, P. (Eds.) (1999). Transnational communities, special issue of Ethnic and Racial Studies, 22(2).
• Vertovec, S. (1999). Conceiving and researching transnationalism. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 22(2), 447-462.
• Vertovec, S. (2004). “Migrant Transnationalism and Modes of Transformation”. International Migration Review 38 (3): 970–1001.
• Wimmer, A., & Glick Schiller, N. (2002). Methodological nationalism and beyond: nation–state building, migration and the social sciences. Global networks, 2(4), 301-334.

Additional readings
• Baas, M. (2016). Becoming trans/nationally mobile: The conflation of internal and international migration in the trajectories of Indian student-migrants in Australia and beyond. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, 39(1), 14-28.
• Carling, J. R. (2008). The human dynamics of migrant transnationalism. Ethnic and racial studies, 31(8), 1452-1477.
• Carling, J., & Erdal, M. B. (2014). Return migration and transnationalism: how are the two connected?. International migration, 52(6), 2-12.
• Faist, T. (2013). The mobility turn: a new paradigm for the social sciences?. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 36(11), 1637-1646.
• Fitzpatrick, M., & Rutten, M. (2016). Contextualising Transnationalism: Local Embedment and Global Engagement amongst Gujarati Indians in Cape Town. Economic and Political Weekly, 57-64.
• Guarnizo, L.E. & Smith, M.P. (1998). “The location of transnationalism”. In: M.P. Smith & L.E. Guarnizo (eds.) Transnationalism from Below. New Brunswick: Transaction publishers.
• Gustafson, P. (2008). Transnationalism in retirement migration: the case of North European retirees in Spain. Ethnic and Racial studies, 31(3), 451-475.
• Levitt, P. (2001). “Transnational migration: taking stock and future directions” Global Networks 1(3): 195-216.

Animation by Sten Ritterfeld