Transnational Politics of Georgian Immigration to The U.S.

• In Event: International Migration Section Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 05. Transnational politics / immigrant political participation

Abstract

The study explores experiences of Georgian immigrants in the United States. It looks at how this group navigates transnational political field shaped by a rising authoritarian home state and mechanisms designed to monitor and control the diaspora. Situated within the theoretical framework of political transnationalism, the study captures everyday lives of Georgian immigrants and shows how these lives are shaped by larger political forces following them across borders. Drawing on in-depth interviews with recent arrivals whose trajectories reflect broader patterns of Georgian migration to the United States, the study places migrants’ experiences within the contemporary political climate in Georgia. Many participants describe being pushed out from their country by the informal migration system fostered by the state and different non-state actors, prompting relocation as a strategy for survival. However, political forces follow them across borders. These transnational dynamics continue to shape their lives here, influencing political participation, sense of belonging, national identity and relations within the diaspora. Findings illuminate a broader paradox of Georgian migration: country depends on its migrants but denies them political power. Migrants are simultaneously called to return home but structurally pushed away. The study contributes to the growing debates on extraterritorial mechanisms of authoritarian control by bringing an understudied group within scholarly conversations, positioning it as a critical site of analysis. It also seeks to inform efforts toward political and social change by revealing underlying processes of state control and transnational repression.

Author

• Mariam Machabeli, University of Massachusetts Boston