This course deepens and broadens inquiries begun in Transnationalism I taught in Spring 2008. However, Transnationalism I is not a prerequisite for this course. Transnationalism does not only to relate national spaces, and societies but adds a global – transnational – dimension that is beyond national societies. How to study this phenomenon? Specialists of international relations, anthropologists, or sociologists, they all brought their methods, approaches and fields in order to make of the of transnationalism a necessarily interdisciplinary subject.
Cause or consequence of globalization, transnationalism is characterized by world wide networks of identities, of solidarities, of actions. Its institutionalization requires a coordination of activities based most of the time on common references –objective or subjective - and common interest among individuals and groups; a coordination of resources, information, technology and sites of social power across national borders for political, cultural, economic purposes. It therefore creates a new space of participation beyond territorially delimited nation-states; it brings to light multiple membership and multiple loyalties leading to confusion between rights and identity, culture and politics, states and nations, citizenship and territoriality. Many questions with regard to membership, allegiances and affiliations arise from these developments. The main question is how transnationalism gives new strength to the national question and becomes a stake of legitimacy in the international system.
Transnationalism 1 has focused on questions such as
- diasporas and nationalism
- space and territories in political actions
- identity politics and its effects on the identification of groups and people beyond borders, on the relationship with states, on international politics.
- The role of Supranational institutions in promoting transnationalism ( values, norms and mobilization)
Transnationalism 2 will overview the themes studied in transnationalism 1 with an emphasis on concepts such as transnational public space, transnational civil society, cosmopolitan citizenship.
Discussions will follow case studies on
- participation beyond borders
- global mobilizations
- international terrorism
- international minority rights
and their implications with regard to state, nation, territory and membership.