Researching the “Transnational�: Theoretical and Methodological Insights for Social Work

Today's world has most often been characterized by globalization, including increased trade, migration and travel, and more spaces for sharing ideas through the internet. Social work educational programs, exchanges and research are no exception to these increasing cross-border transactions. Yet, hopeful ideas of a global village seem more remote than ever for many people in the world, as wars are waged, as borders are solidified, as inequality rises, as trafficking and labor exploitation continue, and as climate change goes largely unchecked. Such global issues must be understood by social workers working both within and across U.S. borders if we are to truly include all people within our mandates.

In the last two decades, some scholars have adopted the term "transnational social work" to capture the complexity of cross-border flows and their effects on people, which extend far beyond relationships between countries. This roundtable session pursues the idea of "transnational social work research," specifically seeking those knowledge practices that are promising for promoting human well-being and social justice in the face of global challenges.

After providing a working definition based on the literature and reflection on our own projects, we will introduce some of the theoretical lenses that have helped us to make sense of the "transnational" in ways that are highly generative for social work knowledge and practice. These stem from theories familiar in social work, such as intersectionality and strengths-based perspectives, as well as insights from diaspora studies, indigenous research, post-colonial theory, transnational feminism, and our work with diverse communities. We will then consider some of the challenges to pursuing ethical and socially just research across borders, as well as methods which are promising for addressing power imbalances and research across cultures. These include participatory research methods, the culturally meaningful method of testimonios, and critical discursive methods--all of which directly address power imbalances, as well as the potential misuse of power, among research partners and participants. We further argue that any of these methods should be pursued with cultural humility, particularly because local strengths, values, and the fullness of meaning and experience can get lost in translation when conducting research in non-Western contexts. The practice of humility also involves intentional recognition of the historical and transnational contexts in which research is situated.

Throughout the conversation, presenters will draw from our research experiences. For example, two presenters will focus on the lived experiences of Latino immigrant groups in the U.S. who continue to stay connected with family members living in another country, a third presenter will discuss the utilization of decolonizing methodologies in transnational indigenous research, especially with indigenous communities within the U.S. and Taiwan, and the fourth presenter will focus on research with and about development institutions addressing social issues in Nepal. Presenters will invite participants to reflect on their experiences of the transnational in social work (whether in research, educational, or practice settings), and open a dialogue about knowledge practices that have the potential to support human well-being and advance equity and social justice.