Material Aspects of Transnational Social Fields: An Introduction

The author argues that ethnographic insights into migrants’ personal relations achieved through objects, and their involvement in social networks proved through objects, can open up new avenues of understanding and contribute to the creation of new conceptual lenses in studies of migration. Conceptu...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Maja Povrzanović Frykman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: ZRC SAZU, Založba ZRC 2009-01-01
Series:Dve Domovini
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/twohomelands/article/view/11110
Description
Summary:The author argues that ethnographic insights into migrants’ personal relations achieved through objects, and their involvement in social networks proved through objects, can open up new avenues of understanding and contribute to the creation of new conceptual lenses in studies of migration. Conceptual and methodological issues are discussed, and the themes outlined, that connect ethnographic examples presented in the contributions to this section. Most important is the reconsideration of the migrants’ presupposed collective identities. The claims to and representations of (usually ethnic) belonging may be detached from the ways in which people fashion their transnational social fields.
ISSN:0353-6777
1581-1212