Transnationalism in Haiti

We define "transnationalism" as the processes by which immigrants forge and sustain multi-stranded social relations that link together their societies of origin and settlement. We call these processes transnationalism to emphasize that many immigrants today build social fields that cross geographic, cultural, and political borders. Immigrants who develop and maintain multiple relationships--familial, economic, social, organizational, religious, and political--that span borders we call "transmigrants" (Basch, Schiller, and Blanc 7).

Haiti serves as a case in point, with a large population of Haitian immigrants in the United States who have an influence in Haiti and on Haitian politics today.

The authors note the importance of transnationalism in Haiti when they write,

Haitian transnationalism has its own particularity shaped by the interpenetration of two sets of factors: Haitian hegemonic constructions

. . .
occupied a subordinate position in the world capitalist system, and this shaped the nature of the Haitian class system and the manner in which the position of the dominant class was explained, justified, and challenged. Economic need is an important reason for high rates of migration, and economic forces shape internal social class divisions, political tensions, and other societal stresses as well. The economic importance of Haiti to the United States contributed to various actions which further shaped the increase in migration and the development of transnationalism. Early in this century the United States intervened militarily in Haiti and suppressed any opposition to U.S. domination, and the result of this was not economic development but economic dislocation. The authors note that the immigrants who came to the United States in the fifties and sixties knew this history and had been shaped by the occupation of Haiti, an occupation which strengthened the economic and political dominance of the mulatto stratum of the bourgeoisie. Attitudes in America strengthened color differences among Haitians as darker skinned Haitians were particularly disfavored. This reinforcement of color definitions combined with the class syste
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Schiller Blanc, Nations Unbound, Haiti Haitian, United Haiti, Haiti United, Stuart Hall, Haiti American, Attitudes America, schiller blanc, Basch Schiller, basch schiller, basch schiller blanc, Szanton Blanc, haitian transnationalism, haiti haitian, transnationalism developed, nations unbound, glick schiller cristina, return home, development transnationalism, history development, class system, cristina szanton blanc, schiller cristina szanton, nina glick schiller,
Approximate Word count = 1439
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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