Postcolonial Citizens and Ethnic Migration: The Netherlands and Japan in the Age of Globalization(Palgrave Studies in International Relations)

As the velocity and intensity of migrations increase around the world, legal citizenship and ethnicity are becoming two of the most contested issues facing the modern state. Many of today's debates about immigration are focused on arguments around the positive and negative effects of increased ethnic diversity and who should be entitled to legal membership. What does it mean politically then to arrive in a country privileged as a legal citizen or co-ethnic? This book is the first to comparatively analyze the political realities of Dutch Antillean citizens in the Netherlands, and Latin American Nikkeijin (Japanese descendants) in Japan, who inherit host state access as post-colonial citizens and ethnic immigrants. Sharpe's unique cross-regional investigation considers the ways in which globalization, immigration, citizenship, and ethnicity interact as a means to understanding some of the strains and contradictions of membership in contemporary liberal democratic states. Postcolonial Citizens and Ethnic Migration will appeal to a wide range of scholars in political science, sociology, anthropology, international relations, ethnic studies and migration.

Table of Contents:
1. Post-Colonial and Ethnic Migration and Political Incorporation in Liberal Democracies: Locating the Dutch and Japanese Cases 2. Convergence? Globalization and the State Policies in the Production of Post-Colonial Citizen and Ethnic Migration 3. Old and New Nationalisms, Pre-migration Political Legacies 4. What Does Post-Colonial Dutch Citizenship Mean in Political Terms? 1985-2008 5. Constructing the Nation: Japanese Emigration and Immigration from the late 19th to 21st Century 6. Is Blood Thicker than Water Politically? Latin American Nikkeijin in Japan 1990-2008 7. Political Transnationalism in Question: What Limits the Political Transnationalism of 'Transnational' Groups in Liberal Democracies 1985-2008? 8. Conclusion- Inheriting the State: Contextualizing the Future of Post-Colonial and Ethnic Migration and Political Inclusion

About the Author :
Michael O. Sharpe is Assistant Professor of Political Science at York College, City University of New York, USA. In addition to adjunct positions at Ramapo College and the Master of International Relations Program at City College/CUNY, he has previously worked as a political analyst for a Japanese consulate and a project coordinator for a Tokyo-based international NGO.

Review :
"Michael Sharpe brilliantly weaves together two cases of post-colonial and ethnic migration, Dutch Antilleans in the Netherlands and Nikkeijin from Latin America in Japan. In so doing he sheds new light on the nature of post-colonial and ethnic migrations and diaspora and on the quality of Dutch and Japanese democracy. This is a fascinating book and I highly recommend it." -James F. Hollifield, Southern Methodist University, USA "How do modern democracies deal with migrants that for historical and legal reasons may claim to be part of the nation, but whose 'return' to the metropolis does not respond to the demands of the political opportunity structure, labor market, nor to a postcolonial nostalgia for empire? In a fascinating comparison of Antillean migrants in the Netherlands and Latin American Nikkeijin returnees to Japan, Michael O. Sharpe offers intriguing observations and conclusions on the meaning of citizenship and ethnicity in a globalized world where 'national identity' is as highly valued as it is fiercely contested." - Gert Oostindie, Leiden University, The Netherlands "This book is a very great example of a cross-national comparison that allows us to identify the mechanisms of political incorporation among immigrants. Michael Sharpe takes a careful look at highly contrasting cases of post-colonial citizens and co-ethnics which several receiving states give a preferential access to immigration. Citizenship and ethnicity have been one of the most relevant and controversial themes in considering state membership in the era of globalization. Interestingly, the author also provides a fascinating illustration of contradictory processes of exclusion and marginalization in the political arena, even though these immigrants share citizenship or ethnicity that would presumably represent symbols of inclusion into society. His powerful argumentation deserves the attention of any social scientist doing comparative analyses." - Hirohisa Takenoshita, Sophia University, Japan "This is an innovative, comparative study of Antillean postcolonial and Nikkeijin ethnic return migrants from a political science perspective. Although one would never think of comparing these two immigrant groups in the Netherlands and Japan, Sharpe has uncovered some striking similarities based on research in both countries. Despite their citizenship and ethnic ties to the host country, both immigrant groups experience unexpected levels of marginalization and Sharpe's explanations for their relative lack of political incorporation are quite convincing. In addition, Sharpe effectively uses these particular case studies to interrogate broader issues related to citizenship, ethnicity, and transnationalism among immigrants in liberal democratic states. As a result, this book is of interest to a broad academic audience." - Takeyuki (Gaku) Tsuda, Arizona State University, USA