Global minds, local bodies: Kosovar transnational connections beyond British Columbia

Refuge

Volumn 23, Issue 1, 2006, Pages 16-26

  Sherrell, Kathy ^a   Hyndman, Jennifer ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA   (Canada)

^b SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY   (Canada)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

IMMIGRANT; REFUGEE;

BRITISH COLUMBIA; CANADA; EURASIA; EUROPE; KOSOVO; NORTH AMERICA; SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO; SOUTHERN EUROPE;

EID: 33646373247     PISSN: 02295113     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (85)

1. L. Basch, N. Glick Schiller, and C. Szanton Blanc, Nations Unbound: Transnational Projects, Postcolonial Predicaments, and Deterritorialized Nation-States (New York. Gordon and Breach Publishers, 1994), 7.
2. Immigration classes refer to specific categories of immigrants landed in Canada; they include "economic," "family," and "refugee" See Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Canada's Immigration Law, 2002; (accessed February 17, 2004).
3. In Kosovo/a, "political identities and territorial claims are contested between two cultures with.. different languages;" see W.J. Buckley, ed., Kosovo: Contending Voices on Balkan Interventions (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2000), 469. Kosovars and Serbians have different names for some places and different spellings for others. These differences speak to different representations and understandings of these places. While this research focuses on Kosovars' settlement in Canada, these differing representations of place have implications for the research here. The names and spellings that are employed reinscribe particular histories, understandings, and ways of knowing, and ultimately affect the information that is obtained. "I thought you were saying 'Kosovo.' 'Kosovo' is more Serbian and 'Kosova' or 'Kosove' is okay" (Interview 103, Kosovar, Vancouver). Others, however, felt our use of "Kosova" was unnecessary as the province is internationally recognized as "Kosovo." During the interview process Kosovars were asked to use whichever name they preferred. In our writing we have elected to use "Kosovo/a," so as not to privilege either representation or way of knowing these places.
4. Basch et al., 3-4.
5. S. Vertovec, "Transnationalism and Identity," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 27 (2001): 574.
6. N. Al-Ali and K. Koser, "Transnationalism, International Migration and Home," in New Approaches to Migration: Transnational Communities and the Transformation of Home, ed. N. Al-Ali and K. Koser (New York: Routledge, 2002), 1-14;
7. G. Dona and J. W. Berry, "Refugee Acculturation and Re-acculturation," in Refugees: Perspectives on the Experience of Forced Migration, ed. A. Ager (New York. Pinter, 1999), 169-95;
8. C. Dwyer, "Migrations and Diasporas," in Introducing Human Geographies, ed. P. Cloke, P. Crang, and M. Goodwin (New York: Arnold, 1999), 287-95;
9. S. Vertovec, "Conceiving and Researching Transnationalism," Ethnic and Racial Studies 22 (1999), 447-62
10. A. Portes, "Immigration Theory for a New Century: Some Problems and Opportunities," International Migration Review 31 (1997):799-825
11. M. Kearney, "The Local and the Global: The Anthropology of Globalization and Transnationalism," Annual Review of Anthropology 24 (1995): 547-65
12. R. Rouse, "Making Sense of Settlement: Class Transformation, Cultural Struggle and Transnationalism among Mexican Migrants to the United States?" Annals of the New York Academy of Science 645 (1992): 25-52
13. and Basch et al.
14. Vertovec, "Transnationalism and Identity."
15. Basch et al., 7
16. Portes, "Conclusion: Towards a New World - The Origins and Effects of Transnational Activities," Ethnic and Racial Studies 22(1999): 464-77
17. Portes, "Immigration Theory for a New Century."
18. A. Portes, L.E. Guarnizo, P. Landolt, "The Study of Transnationalism: Pitfalls and Promise or an Emergent Research Field," Ethnic and Racial Studies 22 (1999): 217-37
19. Portes, "Immigration Theory for a New Century."
20. Al-Ali and Koser, 2.
21. N. Al-Ali, R. Black, and K. Koser, "The Limits to 'Transnationalism': Bosnian and Eritrean Refugees in Europe as Emerging Transnational Communities," Ethnic and Racial Studies 24 (2001): 578-600
22. N. Al-Ali, R. Black, and K. Koser, "Refugees and Transnationalism: The Experience of Bosnians and Eritreans in Europe," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 27 (2001): 615-34
23. K. Koser, "From Refugees to Transnational Communities?" (paper presented at the Conference on New Approaches to Migration: Transnational Communities and the Transformation of Home, University of Sussex, 21-22 September 1999)
24. and Al-Ali and Koser.
25. Al-Ali et al., "The Limits to 'Transnationalism,'" 587.
26. Al-Ali et al., "The Limits to 'Transnationalism.'"
27. Portes, "Immigration Theory for a New Century"
28. Portes, "Conclusion: Towards a New World"
29. and Portes et al.
30. Al-Ali et al., "The Limits to 'Transnationalism.'"
31. For a further discussion of remittances see: Portes, "Immigration Theory for a New Century"
32. Vertovec, "Transnationalism and Identity"
33. N. Van Hear, "Sustaining Societies under Strain: Remittances as a Form of Transnational Exchange in Sri Lanka and Ghana," in New Approaches to Migration: Transnational Communities and the Transformation of Home, ed. N. Al-Ali and K. Koser (New York: Routledge, 2002), 202-223.
34. For a discussion of political activities see: Basch et al.
35. A. Mountz and R.A. Wright, "Daily Life in the Transnational Migrant Community of San Agustin, Oaxaca, and Poughkeepsie, New York," Diaspora 5 (1996): 403-427.
36. K. Sherrell, J. Hyndman, and F. Preniqi, "Sharing the Wealth, Spreading the 'Burden'? The Settlement of Kosovar Refugees in Smaller BC Cities" (Working Paper No. 04-06, RIIM, Vancouver, 2004).
37. Portes et al.
38. and A. Portes, "Introduction: The Debates and Significance of Immigrant Transnationahsm," Global Networks 1(2001): 181-93.
39. D. Hiebert and D. Ley, "Characteristics of Immigrant Transnationalism in Vancouver" (Working Paper 03-15, RIIM, Vancouver, 2003).
40. Portes, "Immigration Theory for a New Century," 812.
41. Hiebert and Ley.
42. A.M. Barrenechea, "Under Many Fires: The Lives of Women Refugees," Canadian Woman Studies/les cahiers de la femme, 15 (1995): 1-33
43. L. Ryan and J. Woodill, "A Search for Home: Refugee Voices in the Romero House Community (CERIS, Toronto, 2000)
44. and H.S. Mohamed, "Resistance Strategies: Somali Women's Struggles to Reconstruct Their Lives in Canada," Canadian Woman Studies/les cahiers de la femme 19(1999): 52-57.
45. Without a Canadian passport, Kosovars are prohibited from travelling to Serbia and Montenegro. Consequently, those Kosovars who have visited Kosovo/a spoke of having travelled through Germany and Austria.
46. Al-Ali et al., "The limits to 'transnationalism'"
47. Al-Ali et al., "Refugees and transnationalism."
48. Of the 850,000 ethnic Albanian Kosovars believed to have left the province for surrounding countries, approximately 250,000 fled to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The refugees threatened to upset the balance among ethnic groups in Macedonia, prompting a large-scale, United Nations (UN) sponsored humanitarian evacuation of Kosovar refugees from camps in Macedonia to states further afield. For more in-depth discussion see: T. Judah, Kosovo: War and Revenge (London: Yale University Press, 2000)
49. and M. J. Calic, "Kosovo in the Twentieth Century: A Historical Account," in Kosovo and the Challenge of Humanitarian Intervention: Selective Indignation, Collective Action, and International Citizenship, ed. A. Schnabel and R. Thakur (New York: United Nation University Press, 2000), 19-31.
50. B. Abu-Laban, T. Derwing, M. Mulder, and H.C. Northcott, Lessons Learned: An Evaluation of Northern Alberta's Experience with Kosovar Refugees (Prairie Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Integration and Population Research Laboratory, University of Alberta, Edmonton, 2001).
51. Portes, "Immigration Theory for a New Century," 812.
52. All Kosovars were given the option of having a sponsor, and provisions were made for up to two years of income support, as well as coverage under the Interim Federal Health Plan (Abu-Laban et al.).
53. In addition to the chance for immediate repatriation or permanent settlement in Canada, Kosovars were given a two-year time frame during which the Federal Government would assume full costs if they chose to repatriate. See E. Tetrault and L. Tessier, "Notes for a statement by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration The Honourable Lucienne Robillard on the Return of Kosovar Refugees," CIC Canada News Release 1999-28, Montreal, July 2, 1999
54. and United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCR), "Canada," in World Refugee Survey 2000: An Annual Assessment of Conditions Affecting Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Internally Displaced Persons, Immigration and Refugee Services of America: 295 (2000).
55. Al-Ali et al., "Refugees and Transnationalism," 628.
56. Al-Ali et al., "Refugees and transnationalism," 628.
57. UN (United Nations) Security Council, "Resolution 1244 (1999)". Adopted by the Security Council at its 4011th meeting on 10 June 1999a,
58. UN Security Council, "Resolution 1272 (1999)". Adopted by the Security Council at its 4057th meeting on 25 October 1999b, (accessed February 21, 2004)
59. and F. Hochschild, "'It Is Better to Leave, We Can't Protect You': Flight in the First Months of United Nations Transitional Administrations in Kosovo and East Timor," Journal of Refugee Studies 17 (2004).
60. This is the first of numerous quotations from interview and focus group transcripts with both individual Kosovar immigrants and service providers at immigrant and refugee-serving agencies. They are included to illustrate, in their own words, the issues as immigrant service providers and the Kosovars themselves understand them. We have not cited them in the usual fashion, as all the quotations in this article are taken from the same sources. Complete source information is available from the authors.
61. M. Glenny, "Asleep at the Wheel in Kosovo: The EU Is Wasting the Chance to Bring Lasting Peace to the Balkans," The Guardian, September 9, 2003, (accessed September 10, 2003).
62. Reuters, "Serbia, Kosovo Talks Now Weeks Away - U.N. Governor," Reuters AlertNet, September 9, 2003, (accessed September 10, 2003).
63. Glenny.
64. Helsingin Sanomat, "Appointment of Harri Holkeri as Kosovo Administrator Confirmed," Helsingin Sanomat: International Edition, July 29, 2003, (accessed September 3, 2003).
65. M. Price, "Kosovo's Deep Divide," BBC News World Edition, October 13, 2003, (accessed February 24, 2004).
66. For the Kosovars in BC, significant variations exist between centres in relation to both unemployment and attachment to the labour force. Some Kosovars, particularly in the Lower Mainland, spoke of fairly constant attachment to the labour force, albeit in a variety of jobs, while the majority of participants in Kelowna and Vernon spoke of having worked for as little as one or two months since coming to Canada. (Sherrell et al. 2004).
67. Al-Ali et al., "Refugees and Transnationalism."
68. Hiebert and Ley.
69. Al-Ali et al., "The Limits to 'Transnationalism,'" 591.
70. The ability to integrate and maintain identity and culture is guaranteed under Canada's Multiculturalism Policy, which does not require newcomers to assimilate and forego previous identities.
71. Longitudinal research on transnational relations could illuminate the extent to which transnational relations may be a short-or medium-term strategy for settlement, but such analysis is beyond the scope of this study.
72. Al-Ali et al., "Refugees and Transnationalism."
73. It is important to note that all adult Eritreans in the diaspora are obliged to remit 2 per cent of their annual incomes to the Eritrean state (K. Koser, "From Refugees to Transnational Communities?" in New Approaches to Migration: Transnational Communities and the Transformation of Home, ed. N. Al-Ali and K. Koser (New York. Routledge, 2002), 139-52).
74. Although Kosovars in the diaspora have not been subjected to the institutionalized "transnationalism from above," Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi has begun to encourage members of the diaspora to utilize their business experience that has been obtained outside of Kosovo/a with their "special knowledge" of Kosovo/a to help rebuild Kosovo/a's economy [T. Reimers and S. Howell, "US Diaspora Keen to Invest," Focus Kosovo - Economy, October 2002, (accessed January 14, 2003)]. Despite the prevalence of informal remittances, the government is encouraging economic ties that will help begin the process of rebuilding [thus moving from "transnationalism from below" (driven by migrants) to "transnationalism from above" (driven by government)].
75. Al-Ali et al., "Refugees and Transnationalism," 628.
76. Although the sporadic gifts of money or clothes do not meet Portes's definition of transnationalism (see Portes, "Conclusion: Towards a New World"), we contend they expose transnational social fields that continuously link Kosovars in Canada with those "at home."
77. Anecdotal evidence indicates that many of the Kosovars who returned to Kosovo/a within the two-year window for repatriation are unhappy with their decision. For those who have remained in Canada, Canadian citizenship offers new opportunities. Deciding whether to remain in Canada or return to Kosovo/a with a Canadian passport in hand is analogous to the economic process of locational rationalization forwarded by Taylor and Thrift. See M. J. Taylor and N. Thrift, eds., Multinationals and the Restructuring of the World Economy (London: Croom Helm, 1986);
78. and Sherrell et al.
79. N. Glick Schiller, L. Basch, and C. Blanc-Szanton, "Transnationalism: A New Analytic Framework for Understanding Migration," Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 645 (1992): 1-24.
80. The proposed addition of questions relating to the reasons for taking up Canadian citizenship (or not) on Wave 3 of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC) speaks to Government recognition of more strategic approaches to Canadian citizenship, something which has definite long-term implications for policy (E. Ruddick, "Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada: Report on Activities" (presentation given at RIIM/MCAWS Immigration Research Workshop, SFU Harbour Centre, Vancouver, February 24, 2004).
81. J.L. Waters, "The Flexible Family: Recent Immigration and 'Astronaut' Households in Vancouver, British Columbia" (Working Paper 01-02., RIIM, Vancouver, 2001).
82. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) organizes elections, and Kosovars are eligible to vote if they obtain cards from Austria.
83. In contrast, almost all of the Kosovars interviewed indicated their intention to vote in Canada once they are eligible.
84. Judah, 251.
85. "Constitutive outside" recognizes identities as being relational and describes the demarcation of an identity through the establishment of a hierarchy, i.e. self-other, us-them. In recognizing difference, an "us" as from a "them," Mouffe points to the potential for an antagonistic, and political, relationship between the identities. For a more detailed discussion see C. Mouffe, 1994, "For a Politics of Nomadic Identity," in Travellers' Tales: Narratives of Home and Displacement, ed. G. Robertson et al. (New York: Routledge 1994), 105-113.