In “Transnational Migration and the Globalization of Grassroots Politics” by Michael Peter Smith, he highlights that the effects of transnationalism and globalization. Specifically, that these two concepts changed the experiences of those that are transnational migrants, exiles, and refugees, as well as, expanded the impact of global grassroots activism that resulted from the effects of transnationalism and globalization (Smith 17). Transnational migrants and refugees are faced with a condition called cultural bifocality, meaning that they are borderless individuals not identifying with a specific but both nations of where they have originated from and where they currently reside. The process of transnationalism leads to deterritorialization, the severance of political, social, and cultural practices of one's home country, and reterritorialization, the "desire to recapture ... a 'homeland' perceived to be lost" (Smith 18). The migration of individuals and the need to assimilate into their host countries lead to deterritorialization and then reterritorialization. Examples of reterritorialization would be the development of ethnic enclaves or spaces such as Little Saigon or Koreatown. These two concepts are what drives local and global grassroots movements, where reterritorialization motivates grassroots movements as a method of retaking what was lost, helping others, and building connections. This reading is significant to the theme of politics because it demonstrates that transnationalism can positively influence the international system through the unification of people that is motivated to political change. Moreover, this reading relates to the notion where the diaspora is transnational when paying attention to the politics of the home country because grassroots movements are working to create change in both host and home countries. Today, activist and grassroots movements are trying to protect the ethnic enclaves, that was created as a way to reterritorialize, from gentrification that has been happening. Gentrification is harmful to the minorities residing there because of the increase in prices and the cost of rent work to push them out, as well as, wiping away the ethnic culture that is prevalent.
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| San Francisco's Chinatown that has been struggling due to gentrification |
Question:
What are can be considered to be methods of reterritorialization other than the ones that were mentioned in the reading? Would things like art and music that can be used as a way to redefine culture and identity be a form of reterritorialization?
Works Cited:
https://news.stanford.edu/2019/07/29/plus-ethnic-enclaves-neighborhoods/
Micheal Peter Smith. " Transitional Migration and the Globalization of Grassroots Politics."
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