Refugees, Transnationalism and the State

One of the most significant unresolved debates around the concept of transnationalism concerns the extent to which state power is being challenged or even undermined by transnational processes. Drawing on recent research that has established interactions between refugees and transnational processes, this paper considers the implications of these interactions for the relationship between refugees and the state. Are they empowering refugees to move and enter destination countries, or are they reinforcing state control over their movement? Three case studies form the empirical focus for the article—the ‘temporary protection’ of Bosnians in Europe during the 1990s, the smuggling of asylum-seekers into Europe, and the contribution of Eritrean transnational communities to post-conflict reconstruction at home. The paper concludes that in most cases transnationalism has reinforced state control rather than empowered refugees. It then considers a number of transnational solutions that might help move beyond the current impasse and mutually benefit both refugees and the state.