Transnational and diasporic citizenship

Transnational citizenship and diasporic citizenship refer to a sense of belonging and membership that go beyond national borders. Diasporic citizenship refers back to the Greek word for dispersal which has been applied to, among others, the Jewish, Armenian and Black/African history of forced displacement. In a narrow understanding, the term diasporic citizenship means a sense of belonging and membership of a group with a sense of common background and homeland to which they are unable to return. The term transnational has a trajectory of use for cross-border flows and agency such as the agency of non-state actors in international relations. In this context, however, transnational citizenship refers to cross-border identification, membership and practices and can be applied to all types of migrants as well as diasporas in the stricter sense of those in exile. This chapter presents a brief historical overview of the main changes over time of transnational and diasporic citizenship, outlining the major work taking place today on transnational and diasporic citizenship, and some suggestions for future studies.