Technology
Transnationalism and the Maintenance of Dual Social Fields among Migrants
Quick fact
A 2021 World Bank report found that remittances to low- and middle-income countries reached $589 billion, nearly triple official development aid—demonstrating that migrants sustain economic 'dual social fields' on a massive scale.
Why this is interesting
Imagine living your life with one foot in two countries—sending money home, voting in elections abroad, and celebrating holidays across time zones. How does a person belong fully to two places at once?
Read the full explanation
Understanding Transnationalism and the Maintenance of Dual Social Fields among Migrants
Think of a migrant's social world not as a single container but as a field that stretches across borders. In the past, migration was often seen as a one-way movement: you leave your homeland, settle in a new country, and gradually cut ties with where you came from—a process called assimilation. But anthropologists and sociologists observed that many migrants maintain active, continuous connections to their home country. They call this 'transnationalism.' A dual social field means that a migrant's daily life is embedded in two societies simultaneously: they may send money to relatives, participate in hometown associations, vote in homeland elections, and raise children with cultural practices from both places. This is not living 'between' two worlds but living in a single social space that is transnational.
A deeper explanation
The mechanism behind transnationalism is the combination of technological, economic, and political factors that allow migrants to be 'here and there' at the same time. Cheap air travel, phone calls, and the internet enable frequent communication and quick visits. Remittances—money sent home—create economic interdependence that ties migrants to their origins. Political engagement, such as dual citizenship or absentee voting, extends rights and duties across borders. Social networks, including family and community organizations, transmit information, resources, and cultural practices. These connections form a 'transnational social field' that is maintained through regular, sustained interaction. This matters because it challenges the idea that migration is a one-way integration process; instead, it shows that identity, belonging, and citizenship can be multiple and layered. Understanding this mechanism helps explain contemporary debates about multiculturalism, dual citizenship, and the changing nature of nation-states in a globalized world.