Cross-Space Consumption: Grassroots Transnationalism among Undocumented Chinese Immigrants in the United States

摘要: Drawing on existing studies of immigrant transnationalism, we develop a concept the “social value consumption” and use it to explain phenomenon cross-space consumption among international migrants. Based multi-sited ethnographic study undocumented Chinese immigrants in New York their family members hometowns Fuzhou, China, find that, despite vulnerabilities precarious circumstances associated with lack citizenship rights host society, manage realize social across national borders, that they do so through conspicuous consumption, reciprocal agent-assisted even without physical presence. As type grassroots enables migrants take advantage differences economic development, currency exchange rates, structures between countries destination origin maximize expression status attain or regain hometowns. While serves support well-being left-behind families hometown communities sustain ties networks, this transnationalism also fuel extravagant rituals, drives up costs living, reinforces inequality, creates pressure for continual emigration hometown.