Social space and transnational social space: how to explore a missing link?

Abstract

Proliferation of research and publishing on transnational social space (TSS) and transnational social field (TSF) in the last two decades indicates that the issues concerning social ties across the boundaries of nation-states have been getting more prevalent since the so-called transnational turn in social sciences and migration studies in particular. However, the concepts which ought to accurately cover relevant phenomena concerning the spatial composition of social ties and actors across the national boundaries diverge greatly and show that the concepts based on similar or even same terminology demonstrate different understandings of space, social ties and their connection. It is impossible to redefine social spaces and TSSs without multiplying their meanings and creating further confusion about the boundaries and inference of these terms. That is why the authors of this paper attempt to identify areas which contain the connecting points between the concepts and theories on social space as a physical expression of social relations, and the concepts and theories of TSS. The authors also emphasise the areas in theorising about social space and TSS which deserve a special attention in future research endeavours to explain the spatial configuration of social positioning and of social relations in particular empirical cases, in order to contribute to (future) harmonisation of at least some social science terminology and concepts. Finally, in order to achieve some discipline in treatises of social space and TSS, this paper suggests a “procedure” which could be implemented prior to the employment of existing terms and concepts in a study of a particular socio-spatial phenomenon, reaching across borders of nation-states.