Social Science Research Council

The project on Transnational Politics and Immigrant Citizenship studies the impact of transnational political behavior among immigrants on the practice of citizenship in six liberal democratic states (Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, The Netherlands and the United States). The historically unitary relationship between states and citizenship may be slowly breaking down, with potentially far-reaching consequences for governance. Immigration is one of the most important factors affecting these changes in the conceptualization and practice of citizenship.

Virtually all western nations have experienced large-scale immigration in the last half century and have found that immigrants do not simply assimilate into the existing society and culture. Increasing mobility and cultural diversity pose difficult questions with regard to policies on immigration and citizenship. The proliferation of dual and multiple- citizenship is particularly significant since it conjures up fears of “divided loyalties”. These fears have been exacerbated since September 11th, when groups with transnational linkages have been accused of disloyalty, and their civil liberties in countries of immigration undermined. In the struggle to come to terms with the potential implications of transnationalism, we find that we do not sufficiently understand the interactions between transnational political behavior and liberal democratic forms of citizenship and governance.

This project seeks a deeper understanding of cross-border political behavior by empirically investigating the behavior of selected immigrant populations and the impact their border-crossing activity has on citizenship- both its practice and state policies affecting it- in the liberal democratic countries of settlement. The research will focus on three broad issue areas:

1) causes and sources of transnational political activities

2) strategies of political actors involved, both immigrants and states

3) effects upon a) immigrant groups, b) states concerned and c)conceptions and practices of citizenship.