Re‐reading citizenship and the transnational practices of immigrants

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
There is a well‐documented and increasing trend within industrialised countries towards strict immigration control, and for a growing emphasis on the value of citizenship. A parallel evolution is now discernible among immigrant populations, which argue for multiple identities and citizenships, backing up these claims with reference to the connections that immigrants maintain with their countries of origin. This article explores the extent to which these two trends are in conflict, and suggests that the traditional link between citizenship and nationality is undergoing a redefinition. A survey of the literature on transnationality forms the first part of the article. A portrait of the Haitian diaspora in North America serves to illustrate the interaction between immigrant and host society. A concluding discussion suggests a re‐evaluation of the discourse on transnationality. This shows that the terms employed to discuss the supposedly new phenomenon are riddled with imprecision and double meanings. ‘Transnational’ may or may not equal ‘international; it may construed as a threat to the nation state or, conversely, an opportunity for immigrant and host populations alike.