The daily news is filled with stories of the ways in which social phenomena and dynamics transcend and transform national boundaries. The destruction of the World Trade Center—one of the most potent symbols of global capitalism—by members of the Al Qaeda terrorist network is a striking example of the “transnational” nature of the world. Transnationalism is the focus of a growing body of social science scholarship, but the researchers involved in this work often overlook the connections between their work. The goal of the Transnational Studies Initiative (TSI) is to systematically bring these conversations together by organizing discussions and collaborations between academics and practitioners working on a variety of topics, from a variety of disciplines, around the world. Its goal is to identify the themes and ideas that characterize transnational social dynamics and processes across time and space and to explore how conventional notions about identity, belonging, governance, and institutions must change in response.

To date, TSI has organized a number of seminars, workshops, panel presentations, and research conversations on topics such as arts and culture, identity and citizenship, social movements and civil society, transnational institutions and organizations, transnational terrorism and crime, and the religious lives of second-generation immigrants. Future workshop topics include transnational media, art, and culture, and social movements across borders.

TSI, which is based at the Weatherhead Center and the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations, is co-directed by Peggy Levitt (Wellesley College) and Tamara Kay (Harvard University). The project coordinator is Jessica Hejtmanek.