University of Chicago Press The Limits of Transnationalism

Review "Like other sympathetic critics of transnational theorizing, Nancy Green does not dispute the reality of the phenomenon. Her central message is that while transnationalism exists, it is far more difficult to live a genuinely transnationalism life than Glick-Schiller, Alejandro Portes, Steven Vertovec, and others presumed. There are, as her title makes clear, "limits" to transnationalism. . . . [An]invaluable book-length diagnostic [assessment] of transnationalism."-- "Journal of Modern History""The Limits of Transnationalism is a provocative, timely, and necessary book. Green begins the conversation that will, this reviewer anticipates, carry on through the field for many years."--Caroline Waldron "Journal of American Ethnic History""As the legal contours of citizenship are being reshaped by new forms of globalized trade and multi-national families, Green offers a fresh perspective on the history of crossing borders. Her dry wit and shrewd eye for paradox enliven her account of how men and women have defined the boundaries of belonging as they navigated the shifting legal landscapes of the United States and Europe, and how scholarly interpretations of what they were up to have fluctuated over the years. An important addition to our understanding of the protections of citizenship and its limitations."-- "Linda K. Kerber, University of Iowa""Green explores the complex stories of how transnational lives were lived, while also making an important historiographical intervention: living between two nation states and across their borders can frustrate migrants' life plans and pose social, legal, and economic challenges as well as offer them rich opportunities for change and creativity."-- "Donna Gabaccia, University of Toronto""Recommended. . . Green does a salutary job of arguing the case."-- "Choice""With this learned, witty, and elegantly written volume, Green has written a book that illuminates the limits of transnationalism and yet shows how much is to be learned when migration researchers extend their lens across state boundaries. A work that scholars and students will read with pleasure and profit."-- "Roger Waldinger, University of California, Los Angeles" Product Description Transnationalism means many things to many people, from crossing physical borders to intellectual ones. The Limits of Transnationalism reassesses the overly optimistic narratives often associated with this malleable term, revealing both the metaphorical and very real obstacles for transnational mobility. Nancy L. Green begins her wide-ranging examination with the story of Frank Gueydan, an early twentieth-century American convicted of a minor crime in France who was unable to get a fair trial there nor able to enlist the help of US officials. Gueydan's odd predicament opens the door for a series of inquiries into the past twenty-five years of transnational scholarship, raising questions about the weaknesses of global networks and the slippery nature of citizenship for those who try to live transnational lives. The Limits of Transnationalism serves as a cogent reminder of this topic's complexity, calling for greater attention to be paid to the many bumps in the road. About the Author Nancy L. Green is professor of history at the cole des hautes tudes en sciences sociales in Paris, as well as the author of The Other Americans in Paris, also published by the University of Chicago Press.