ABSTRACT
Reflexivity in research and thinking of one’s positionality are now commonplace, at least in certain disciplines such as anthropology and qualitative methodological traditions. One is through the work of critical feminist scholars who use their positions in society and their own lived experiences to reflect on broader issues of race and gender in contemporary society. As an interdisciplinarian, the author convinced that all theories and methods have something to contribute to our understanding of the world. Studying migration became a way for her to continue to pursue her passion for West African cultures but to do so in a context that was amenable to raising a family in a way that reflected her values. Transnationalism resonated with her experience as a migrant much more than the more commonly used concept of integration. Its nation-state focus—you integrate into a national culture, economy, or society—had too much of a boxed-in feel to it.
