The voices of newcomers. A qualitative analysis of the construction of transnational identity

Abstract

Nowadays, globalization is connected with the emergence and reconstruction of new identities. For instance, the migration process implies the generation of new forms of identity, questioning the traditional homogeneous and static notions of identity. In this regard, the term “transnational identity” or “bicultural identity” has been suggested for these people that live in between two cultural frameworks and has to establish a dialogue between the country of origin (“there”) and the host country (“here”). This study shows the bicultural and multiple nature of ten immigrant life stories. These narratives illustrate how bicultural and multilingual skills become part of the self definition through the appropriation of cultural voices that manage the origin and host lifestyles, building hybrid and multiple identities that preserve certain ties with the origin society and take certain forms of life of the new culture and society. The novelty embodied in this work is the qualitative approach taken in the research. Most of the literature on transnational identity and transnationalism are based on theoretical discussions or quantitative data.