Arts & Culture
Anthropological Studies of Migration and Transnationalism
Quick fact
More than 40% of the world's migrants maintain strong connections to their home countries, sending money, making phone calls, and participating in politics from afar, a phenomenon anthropologists call 'transnationalism'.
Why this is interesting
You probably think of migration as moving from one country to another, but what if you never really leave—because your life is split across two places at once?
Read the full explanation
Understanding Anthropological Studies of Migration and Transnationalism
Imagine you have a friend who lives in the U.S. but sends money to family in Mexico, votes in Mexican elections, and celebrates holidays from both countries. That's not a one-time move; it's a continuous, back-and-forth life. Anthropologists study this as 'transnationalism'—the condition of living across borders while maintaining deep social, economic, and political ties. Traditionally, migration was seen as a one-way journey, where people uprooted and replanted in a new society. But anthropologists observed that many migrants live in a 'transnational social field' where their daily activities, relationships, and identities span multiple countries. This changes how we think about culture and belonging: it's not confined to one place, but is made and remade through these cross-border connections.
A deeper explanation
Anthropologists use a method called 'multisited ethnography' to study transnationalism. Instead of staying in one village or city, they follow the people, ideas, and money as they move across borders. This reveals how migrants maintain 'dual' lives: their identity is not simply 'here' or 'there' but is a hybrid of both. This is powered by key practices: remittances (money sent home), communication (calls, apps), and even political participation from abroad. These practices create and sustain social fields that transcend national boundaries, challenging the assumption that cultures are isolated and bounded. Transnationalism is not just about frequent travel; it's about the ongoing, meaningful connections that shape everyday life. This matters because it shows that migration isn't a one-time event but an ongoing process that transforms both the home and host societies, and it forces us to rethink citizenship, identity, and community in an age of global mobility.