Theorizing transnational immigration: a critical review of current efforts

During the past decade, transnationalism has entered the lexicon of migrati on scholars. As with other terms used in the study of immigration and ethni city, this concept suffers from ambiguity as a result of competing definiti ons that fail to specify the temporal and spatial parameters of the term an d to adequately locate it vis-a-vis older concepts such as assimilation and cultural pluralism. This article offers a review and critique of the ways the term has come to be employed at the hands of key spokespersons that hav e articulated the most sustained theoretical rationales to date for transna tionalism as a conceptual construct to account for new immigrant identities and communities. The conclusion of the essay offers in schematic form an a lternative assessment of transnationalism that locates it as one potential subset of assimilation theory, rather than as an alternative to it.