Attacking transnationalism and citizenship: British Bangladeshis, family migration, and the postcolonial state

Abstract

In July 2012, major changes to the family migration rules were made in the UK, severely restricting British and settled residents’ rights to sponsor non-EEA family members. However, little is known about how they have been experienced in practice, particularly by the South Asian families they target. Our article draws on policy and media analysis alongside original qualitative research to shed light on how the 2012 family migration rules have impacted British Bangladeshis, and with what consequences for their experiences of citizenship and the possibilities of them leading transnational lives. We argue that the rules amount to a raced, gendered, and classed ‘attack’ on both transnationalism and citizenship and suggest that, while transnationalism and citizenship are often analysed separately, they are in fact deeply intertwined.