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City of sojourners versus city of settlers: transnationalism, location and identity among Taiwanese professionals in London and Toronto
Author(s) -
MOORE FIONA
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
global networks
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.685
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1471-0374
pISSN - 1470-2266
DOI - 10.1111/glob.12120
Subject(s) - transnationalism , identity (music) , sociology , context (archaeology) , ethnography , gender studies , construct (python library) , global city , bridge (graph theory) , place identity , political science , geography , anthropology , politics , aesthetics , urban planning , law , engineering , medicine , philosophy , archaeology , computer science , programming language , civil engineering
In this article I explore the impact of location on transnational identities through an ethnographic case study of Taiwanese professionals in London and Toronto. I argue, first, that both groups use their transnational identities not just to bridge two cultures, but also as a strategic resource for building connections with many different groups. Second, I argue that the expression of transnational identity is different in each local context, as it is framed through London's identity as a ‘global city of sojourners’, and Toronto's as a ‘global city of settlers’. Finally, I argue that this, combined with the strategic use of identity in each location, influences each group's transnational connections and affects their ability to construct networks.