This chapter by Nancy Foner titled “Transnational Ties” introduced me to the phrase transnationalism. It refers to processes by which immigrants ‘‘forge and sustain multi-stranded social relations that link together their societies of origin and settlement. . . . An essential element . . . is the multiplicity of involvements that transmigrants sustain in both home and host societies.’’ The word itself encompasses a situation familiar to many people who live in New York City. In a city so dense with immigrants its hard not to see where this term comes into play. What I thought was very interesting in Foner’s chapter was her assessment of the old transnationalism. In the 1880s to early 1900s transnationalism was looked down upon in American society.

Unlike in the past immigrants who come here are welcome to express their ties to their home countries. And as opposed to the past there more frequent connections to the culture and family left behind which may result in stronger ties. This is all due to the advancement of technology. Again I was amazed, as I usually am, by how much of a difference a decade can make. The book feels so outdated. The outdated tech included in this chapter is telephones and videotapes. I say telephones because not that many people use a telephone to call long distance and get charged that cheap rate of three dollars per minute… Also many of the younger generation don’t even now how to work a VHS recorder. As of right now the Internet has become the biggest game changer in keeping ties with loved ones in other places. People use free social networking sites to keep in contact with their family and friends. They can now Skype each other, tag each other or do whatever they want to online. The ability to instantly contact a person and see their face and surroundings in real-time probably greatly affects the ability to be a connected, transnational citizen.

The most intriguing issue brought up in the chapter was how the US’ and the world’s acceptance of transnationalism affects politics and economy. The ability to be a potential lobbyist for the home country in America is one reason why dual citizenship is very important to many countries. It’s important to note that different countries have different policies for their dual citizens and some allow dual citizens to vote in their elections. One such country is the Dominican Republic. The Dominican community in New York is the second largest concentration of voters in any Domincan election. Another reason dual citizenship is important to the home country is that “a powerful economic incentive is involved in the recognition of dual nationality by various sending countries.” Like the Dominican Republic, Philippines also relies on the remittances from their migrants. About 10% of their GDP comes from money sent back. These results of transnationalism are amazing to observe and the future results of it are unpredictable but they seem to make the world a more interesting place.