Resumen

DINNEEN, Mark. The Immigrant Transnationalism: The Portuguese and Portuguese-Venezuelans in Caracas. Terra [online]. 2015, vol.31, n.49, pp.49-69. ISSN 1012-7089.

A transnational perspective on migration rejects the notion of diaspora as defined by the displacement of immigrants and their need to cast aside the cultural values of their homeland in order to effectively adopt those of the receptor society. Instead, it sees diaspora as located at the crossroads of diverse transnational links and flows, and emphasises the capacity of immigrants to preserve their original cultural legacy whilst simultaneously adapting to the requirements of the new culture and society. Ties with both homeland and host society can be complementary rather than conflictive, and negotiating between them has often facilitated successful integration into the new society. This article argues that such a transnational perspective can enhance understanding of the experience of Portuguese immigrants in Caracas, and that their transnational practices, combined with their extraordinary ability to construct sophisticated social networks, helps to explain the prominent and successful role so many of them have managed to fulfil in Caracas’s society and economy.

Palabras clave : Portuguese immigrants; Caracas; transnationalism; transnational practices.