Transnationalism and identity: a tale of two faces and multiple lives

Headnote

Transnational ties add new complexities to the continuous and dynamic processes of identity formation. Based on self-reflexive narratives, this paper examines the authors' identity transformations associated with their respective transnational experiences. We are two Asian women from India and China, respectively, who are international students pursuing doctoral degrees in Canada. Although we share similar demographic and economic backgrounds, we perform distinct transnational acts. Focusing specifically on social and cultural linkages, we have identified reasons that have influenced our cross-border involvements. Based on our findings, we present an emergent conceptual framework that highlights interactive psychological, sociocultural and economic processes that influence the formation of individual transnational identities. We also share with our readers some methodological lessons learnt along our path of self-expression, analysis and representation.

Headnote

Les liens transnationaux ajoutent de nouveaux niveaux de complexite au processus continu et dynamique de la formation identitaire. Cet article, base sur l'auto-examen de cheminements personnels, etudie le mecanisme de transformation identitaire des auteurs associe a leur experience transnationale respective. Nous sommes deux femmes asiatiques, provenant respectivement de l'Inde et de la Chine, qui poursuivent leurs doctorats au Canada en tant qu'etudiantes internationales. Meme si nous partageons une origine demographique et economique similaire, nous accomplissons des actes transnationaux distincts. En nous penchant plus specifiquement sur nos liens sociaux et culturels, nous avons identifie certaines facteurs qui ont influe sur nos experiences transfrontalieres. Tirant parti de ces decouvertes, nous presentons un nouveau cadre conceptuel qui souligne les processus interactifs psychologiques, socioculturels et economiques affectant influencent la formation d'identites individuelles transnationales. Nous partageons egalement avec nos lecteurs quelques lecons methodologiques apprises dans le contexte de notre propre auto-expression, analyse et representation.

We began writing new chapters of our lives when we came to Canada as international students. Both young Asian women from middle-class, urban backgrounds, we simultaneously embarked upon a migrant life in Toronto. The simple condition of being far away from 'home', alone, facing the challenges of a new country was the common ground on which a friendship developed.

Within academia, when we came across the term 'transnationalism' we were curious about our own transnationalities and asked: Are we transnationale? And if we are, how did transnationalism(s) change our identities? Particularly interested in knowing when and how our identities first...