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Transnational Ties and Immigrant Political Incorporation: The Case of Dominicans in Washington Heights, New York 1
Author(s) -
Pantoja Adrian D.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
international migration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.681
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1468-2435
pISSN - 0020-7985
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2435.2005.00335.x
Subject(s) - politics , immigration , naturalization , diaspora , political science , mythology , sociology , gender studies , economic growth , development economics , demographic economics , political economy , citizenship , law , economics , philosophy , alien , theology
This study adds to the growing literature on transnational ties and our knowledge of the Dominican diaspora in New York City by analysing the impact of transborder ties on their political incorporation in the United States. Specifically, I analyse whether the “myth of return” or a belief among immigrants that they will return to the home country, having a transnational family, and participation in the politics of the Dominican Republic fosters or mitigates Dominican rates of naturalization and participation in US politics. The analysis is carried out through a unique survey of Dominicans residing in Washington Heights, New York City. The survey was randomly administered by telephone to 413 respondents between November and December 2003. A quota was included to ensure that half of the respondents were US citizens. The degree to which transnational ties foster or impede political incorporation is largely the result of how one defines and operationalizes political incorporation and transnational ties. When political incorporation is defined and measured by naturalization, two forms of transnational ties depressed its pursuit: (1) participation in the politics of the Dominican Republic and (2) having a transnational family. When incorporation is defined and measured by political participation: (1) participation in the politics of the Dominican Republic and (2) participation in hometown associations acted as catalysts. I find no evidence in support of the proposition that the “myth of return” exerts a powerful influence on immigrants' decisions to naturalize or become politically engaged. The paper discusses the implications of the findings.