Asset or Liability: Transnational Links and Political Participation of Foreign-Born Citizens in Taiwan

Cheng, Isabelle; Momesso, Lara; Fell, Dafydd

Abstract

Viewed as outsiders clinging onto links with their country of origin, immigrants do not often feature positively in electoral politics in their host society. Challenging this conventional view, this paper examines how immigrants make use of their transnational ties to foster their political participation in the host state. This exploration is conducted through our study of the political participation of Vietnamese and Chinese immigrants in Taiwan. Our research finds that transnational ties are politicised by the mainstream political parties. However, such politicisation does not necessarily restrict immigrants’ agency and their socio-political space for political participation. Their transnational ties constitute a dynamic socio-political field in which these maintained connections are acted upon and give rise to a variety of strategies for responding to issues affecting their interests.

Citation

Cheng, I., Momesso, L., & Fell, D. (2019). Asset or Liability: Transnational Links and Political Participation of Foreign-Born Citizens in Taiwan. International Migration, 57(4), 202-217. https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12534

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 14, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Nov 25, 2018
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: Oct 29, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 29, 2018
• Journal: International Migration
• Print ISSN: 0020-7985
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-2435
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 57
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 202-217
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12534
• Keywords: Political participation, Politics of in-between, Transnationalism, Marriage migration, Taiwan electoral politics, New Southbound Policy
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12534