The limits to transnationalism: Bosnian and Eritrean refugees in Europe as emerging transnational communities

Al-Ali, Nadje; Black, Richard; Koser, Khalid

Abstract

This article explores limitations on the concept of transnationalism, through examination of two empirical case studies of communities characterized by emerging transnational practices. Mirroring recent shifts of attention in studies of transnational migration away from US-based examples of established migrant workers, the article focuses on Bosnian refugees in the UK and The Netherlands, and Eritrean refugees in the UK and Germany. It stresses the importance of historical context, and the interconnection of social, political and institutional factors in producing highly uneven patterns of transnational activities both within and between these two groups.

Citation

Al-Ali, N., Black, R., & Koser, K. (2001). The limits to transnationalism: Bosnian and Eritrean refugees in Europe as emerging transnational communities. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 24(4), 578-600. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870120049798

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2001
• Deposit Date: Mar 5, 2014
• Journal: Ethnic and Racial Studies
• Print ISSN: 0141-9870
• Electronic ISSN: 1466-4356
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 578-600
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870120049798
• Additional Information: Additional Information : Equal joint authorship between three authors, one of whom is an anthropologist; paper derives from ESRC-funded project, Black PI, under Transnational Communities Programme.