2009 FEATURE ARTICLE
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The Making of Fujian as a Transnational Place
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Jessica Chong
ABSTRACT
Since the 1980s, Fujian province in China has been known as the main source of Chinese illegal migrants in the United States. In recent years, Fujianese immigrants' destinations have become increasingly varied, with some embarking on transnational entrepreneurial activities in Africa. While most narratives about Fujianese migration sensationalize the role of human smugglers and use economic theory to try to make sense of this large-scale movement of people, this paper emphasizes that Fujianese transnationalism has had at least 500 years of history. Through fieldwork in Fujian and documental research, this paper shows that a long historical perspective is needed to explain why Fujian is a transnational hub with a vast and dynamic global reach.
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