Immigration Incorporation And Transnationalism

Immigration, Incorporation and Transition is an intriguing collection of articles and essays. It was developed to commemorate the twenty-fi fth anniversary of The Journal of American Ethnic History. Its purpose, like that of the Immigration and Ethnic History Society, is to integrate interdisciplinary perspectives and exciting new scholarship on important themes and issues related to immigration and ethnic history.

The contributions in this volume consider the question of migrant agency, how Western societies are both transforming migrants, and being transformed by them. It is informed by debates on the new 'transnational mobility', the immigration of Muslims, the increasing importance of human rights law, and the critical attention paid to women migrants.

The contributions in this volume consider the question of migrant agency, how Western societies are both transforming migrants, and being transformed by them. It is informed by debates on the new 'transnational mobility', the immigration of Muslims, the increasing importance of human rights law, and the critical attention paid to women migrants.

This book surveys a new trend in immigration studies, which one could characterize as a turn away from multicultural and postnational perspectives, toward a renewed emphasis on assimilation and citizenship. Looking both at state policies and migrant practices, the contributions to this volume argue that (1) citizenship has remained the dominant membership principle in liberal nation-states, (2) multiculturalism policies are everywhere in retreat, and (3) contemporary migrants are simultaneously assimilating and transnationalizing.

"The editors have selected from both the grounding classics and the best new work to show how migration is transforming the rich democracies." Professor John Mollenkopf, The City University of New York --

Brettell's new book provides new insight into the processes of migration and transnationalism from an anthropological perspective. It has been estimated at the turn of the millennium that 160 million people are living outside of their country of birth or citizenship. The author analyzes macro and micro approaches to migration theory, utilizing her extensive fieldwork in Portugal as well as research in Germany, Brazil, France, the United States and Canada. Key issues she discusses include: the value of immigrant incorporation vs. assimilation models; the impacts on individual, household and community as well as institutions and states; the role of ethnicity and ethnic groups; the effects of clandestine or illegal immigration; the differing commitments to host vs. sending communities; the shift from city enclaves to suburban areas; the constraints and opportunities that lead to ethnic entrepreneurship; the role of religion in transnational linkages; and the differing experiences of men and women as migrants. Brettell also explores the relevance of life histories and oral narratives in understanding the immigration process and the mediation of boundaries in a new society. This book provides a fresh perspective on the contemporary experience of migration and will be indispensable to instructors and researchers in anthropology, race and ethnic studies, immigration studies, urban studies, sociology, and international relations.

With contributions from some of Canada's leading historians, political scientists, geographers, anthropologists, and sociologists, this collection examines the transnational practices and identities of immigrant and ethnic communities in Canada. It looks at why members of these groups maintain ties with their homelands -- whether real or imagined -- and how those connections shape individual identities and community organizations. How does transnationalism establish or transform geographical, social, and ideological borders? Do homeland ties affect what it means to be "Canadian"? Do they reflect Canada's commitment to multiculturalism? Through analysis of the complex forces driving transnationalism, this comprehensive study focuses attention on an important, and arguably growing, dimension of Canadian social life. This is the first collection in Canada to provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of transnationalism. It will appeal to scholars and students interested in issues of immigration, multiculturalism, ethnicity, and settlement.

They have explained that the constituent processes of globalization, namely rapid advances in communication and transportation technologies; changes in the structure of technology and financial markets; the ascendancy of liberalization policies; and the onset of global competition, have brought about the emergence of new types of immigrant communities. [...] While continuing to focus on the remittance vehicle of grassroots development, the partnership framework should also include the broader vehicles of international trade and investment and the transfer of industrial science and technology knowledge combined with the transfer of industrial entrepreneurship know-how for private sector-led economic growth. [...] The result is transformation of research and policy understanding of the institutional and structural (network) linkages between the processes of international migration, immigrant economic incorporation, and economic development in emigration countries. [...] Emphasis is placed upon the descriptive and the analytic features of contemporary migrant transnationalism and the process of transnational migrant community formation, and a typology of these communities. [...] But it would be misleading to assume similarity in patterns of economic incorporation and transnational organizing since contexts of reception, settlement, and adaptation experiences and strength and scope of transnational ties will vary even within immigrant communities of the same nationality and from the same community in the country of origin.