Crossing Boundaries: Exploring the Impact of Parties Abroad on Migrants' Engagement in their Countries of Origin's Politics

Abstract

Speakers: Sergiu Gherghina, University of Glasgow Sorina Soare, University of Florence Existing research extensively delves into the role of political parties abroad in influencing migrants' engagement in the politics of their home countries. While acknowledging the influence of parties beyond national borders through institutional frameworks and organisational attributes, this study addresses the lingering ambiguity surrounding the underlying mechanisms. Through an analysis of data from an online survey of 1,058 migrants, we investigate the impact of perceptions of parties abroad within the Romanian migrant community. Our findings reveal two perspectives: utilitarian, wherein parties are valued for pragmatic political power, and symbolic, wherein they serve as platforms for a symbolic connection to the homeland. Thus, parties abroad serve a dual role, acting as sources of practical influence and symbolic ties to migrants' original communities.