The gender and geography of citizenship in Mexico-US transnational spaces

This paper proposes an approach for analyzing the gender and geography of c itizenship practices in transnational social spaces in order to contribute to theorizing on state-transmigrant relations and citizenship. Drawing on f eminist scholarship on citizenship, I conceptualize citizenship as includin g formal rights and substantive citizenship practices that are exercised in relation to different levels of political authority, and in different geog raphic sites within transnational spaces. The approach is used to examine d ynamics between Mexican state policies and programs and transmigrant organi zations in Los Angeles. Using data from research on migration between Zacat ecas and California, I argue that men find a privileged arena of action in transmigrant organizations and Mexican state-mediated transnational social spaces, which become spaces for practicing forms of citizenship that enhanc e their social and gender status. Women are excluded from active citizenshi p in this arena, but often practice substantive social citizenship in the U nited States.