TRANSNATIONALISM, HOME AND IDENTITY: PERSONAL ESSAYS

Abstract

TRANSNATIONALISM, HOME AND IDENTITY: PERSONAL ESSAYSNatasha Garrett, PhD. University of Pittsburgh, 2011Through a collection of personal essays, this dissertation examines transnationalism as a contemporary mode of migration. The essays draw from my personal and professional experiences, as well as academic and literary sources, to create a collection that addresses significant aspects of the transnational experience, such as issues of identity, language, space/place and family, and explores the ways in which transnationalism as a postmodern phenomenon has transformed the perspective on those categories. The essay "Identifying Transnationalism and Transnational Identity," introduces the problem of identity for transnationals, both in the literature and in my personal life. The essay also examines how transnationals negotiate national/ethic and cultural identity. "Essay as Inquiry" is a discussion on the research method and a rationale for using the essay as a mode of inquiry when studying transnationalism. "International Students and Identity" suggests that the concept of transnationalism could be utilized to better illustrate and understand the experiences of international students in the United States. "Transnationalism and the Concept of Home" discusses the ways in which transnationals conceptualize space/place. In "Translating the Translator: Language, Poetry and Identity," the author draws from her experiences as a poetry translator to investigate issues of language and identity. Translation becomes a metaphor for understanding my own existence across two cultures. "Transnational Families" focuses on the changing family dynamics and the intra-generational relationships among transnational family members. The final essay, "Global Souls: Pico Iyer, Gogol Bordello and the Art of Academic Travel," discusses transnationalism as a source of global worldview and creative power.

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