OVERVIEW
Conceptual Background and Goals
Each day, the news is filled with examples of the ways in which aspects
of contemporary social life cross, transcend, and transform political
borders. Members of pan-Muslim, Hindu, and Evangelical Christian religious
communities value spiritual identities as much, or more than, national
or racial ties. Social movements mobilize trans-border constituencies
around issues such as human rights, gender justice, and sustainable
development. Economic production and distribution is organized around
trans-continental
investment, manufacturing, and distribution chains. Associations set
common standards for professionals working in similar fields around the
world.
And migrants and non-migrants form part of thick, broad social networks
linking the social, political, and economic activities of those in
source countries to those in countries of reception.
Transnationalism in its various forms is the subject of a growing but
fragmented body of scholarship. This work, though often interdisciplinary,
generally treats transnational dynamics and institutions as if they
were unconnected to one another and theorizes about them separately.
Yet, we
are convinced that understanding contemporary social life requires
that the empirical connections and interactions between different types
of
transnationalism and with "non-transnational" phenomena and
dynamics be made. It is no longer enough to simply compare
experiences across nations, states, or societies. We need to explore
how transnational practices and processes in different domains relate
to and
inform one another.
This initiative attempts to bridge these gaps by
fostering conversations between academics and practitioners working
on a variety of topics, from a variety
of disciplines, around the world. To accomplish this, we have organized a
series of activities including empirical research, curriculum development,
and workshops
and research conversations on topics such as transnational citizenship, transnational
identities and institutions, multi-stakeholder sovereignty and governance,
religion, terrorism, arts and culture, and corporate citizenship/social responsibility.
Our goal is to identify the common themes, structures, ideas, and institutions
that characterize transnational social dynamics and processes in different
arenas, and to understand how we must rethink conventional notions about
identity, citizenship, community, and society in response.
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