ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a series of richly textured ethnographic case studies that suggest new ways to situate and historicize transnationalism, identify new pathways to transnational urbanism, and map the contours of translocal, interregional, and diasporic connections. The changing historical context of both migrating groups and the cities and regions they move across are shown to be central to the study of the interplay of urban change and migrant transnationalism. The book focuses on the different interactions between time, migration, and transnationalism. It offers a careful analysis of the local context of reception for transnational migration to Belfast, Northern Ireland during the past decade. The book also demonstrates the usefulness of the concept of translocality for understanding the role played by cities in emerging forms of contemporary migrations.
