The State and Transnationalism

This chapter reviews the current efforts to rethink the state in the context of current migration policies. It throws a bridge between disconnected bodies of works and outlines the main characteristics of the transnational migration state (TMS). It sets out its two iterations, the transnational emigration state (TES) and the transnational immigration state (TIS), that is the institutions and public policies dedicated to the management of immigration and emigration flows. From that perspective, the prime function of the transnational state is to encourage or filter trans-border flows according to its own best interests. The emergence of new forms of governance and regulation, such as neo-management techniques and partnerships between public and private multi-scalar sectors, has redefined the scales for state activity, blurring the boundaries between levels of governance. In order to grasp the dynamics at stake, it outlines a conceptual toolbox meant to shed light on the institutional, spatial and cognitive dimensions of the TMS.