ABSTRACT
Portes et al. (1999) outline how transnational action can be separated into three different analytical fields: economic, political and sociocultural. Although transnational activities and practices in these three domains can be expected to overlap, Itzigsohn and Saucedo maintain that sociocultural transnationalism should be considered separately from political or economic transnationalism (Itzigsohn and Saucedo, 2002: 768). They define sociocultural transnationalism as ‘transnational practices that recreate a sense of community based on cultural understandings of belonging and mutual obligations’ (ibid.: 767). This definition, focussing as it does on the community, appears to be rooted in an understanding of transnationalism as dependent on diasporic connections and, whilst emphasising the institutional level of transnational activities and practices, does not include space for sociocultural transnationalism which could be demonstrated by individuals or even families. Such an understanding of socio-cultural transnational ties is reflective of the shared and collective experience of culture itself (Assman & Czaplicka, 1995).
