Migrants of Identity

Global movement is commonly characterized as one of the quintessential experiences of our age. Market forces territorial conflicts and environmental changes uproot an increasing number of people while mass communication travel tourism and a global market of commodities texts tastes fashions and ideologies place individuals more than ever in a global arena. As traditional conceptions of individuals as members of stationary fixed and separate societies and cultures no longer convince to what extent does movement become central to individuals' self-conceptions? How do people cultivate negotiate nurture and maintain an identity? To what extent do individuals become ‘migrants of identity' whose home is movement?Defining ‘home' as ‘where one best knows oneself' this pioneering book explores the various ways in which people perceive themselves to be ‘at home' in today's world. Through a series of case studies authors show that for a world of travellers labour migrants exiles and commuters ‘home' comes to be found in behavioural routines and techniques in styles of dress and address in memories myths and stories in jokes and opinions. In short people who live their lives in movement make sense of their lives as movement.