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The Liberian Diaspora's Civic Engagement in the United States and in Homeland Peacebuilding

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The Liberian Diaspora's Civic Engagement in the United States and in Homeland Peacebuilding City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2-2014 Becoming Transnational Citizens: The Liberian Diaspora's Civic Engagement in the United States and in Homeland Peacebuilding Janet Elizabeth Reilly Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/98 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] BECOMING TRANSNATIONAL CITIZENS: THE LIBERIAN DIASPORA’S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN HOMELAND PEACEBUILDING by JANET E. REILLY A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Political Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The City University of New York 2014 i © 2014 Janet E. Reilly All Rights Reserved ii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Political Science in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Susan L. Woodward _________________ _______________________________________ Date Chair of the Examining Committee Alyson Cole _________________ _______________________________________ Date Executive Officer John H. Mollenkopf Thomas G. Weiss Supervisory Committee THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract BECOMING TRANSNATIONAL CITIZENS: THE LIBERIAN DIASPORA’S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN HOMELAND PEACEBUILDING by Janet E. Reilly Adviser: Professor Susan L. Woodward This study examines the relationship between civic participation in homeland peacebuilding and immigrants’ political incorporation and integration in their local communities in the United States. It explores the impact of state (U.S. and Liberia) policies and local context on individuals’ civic participation locally and in transnational activities. The study demonstrates the mechanisms through which state policies and local context influence Liberians’ political participation in the United States and their transnational citizenship, defined as full legal membership and civic participation. The relationship between civic engagement in the United States and in transnational activities is not an adversarial one. Engagement with the diaspora correlates positively with integration in the United States and vice versa. In fact, those Liberians who participate most actively in their local communities in the United States are also the ones who engage most frequently in transnational activities. The ability of Liberians to participate fully in their local and transnational communities, however, is affected by U.S. immigration and reception policies that have promoted integration for refugees and asylees but, at the same time, trapped many Liberians with TPS/DED in a legal limbo. The study highlights the social nature of political involvement and the importance of context in promoting Liberians’ political belonging in the United States and as transnational citizens. iv Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank the Liberians who generously offered their time and knowledge to me in completing this project. Without them, it would not have been possible. I first met some of the individuals interviewed for this project when I conducted research, under the direction of Marilyn Gittell, John Mollenkopf, Robert C. Smith, and Thomas Weiss, with the Liberian community in New York City as part of the Global Dimensions of Local Change project, funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, in 2006. I was welcomed repeatedly into people’s homes and lives, and was inspired by the many acts of service undertaken by individuals to benefit their fellow Liberians and Americans. That experience inspired me to focus my research on the Liberian community in the United States. My special thanks to my dissertation advisor Susan Woodward and dissertation reader John Mollenkopf for their guidance in conducting the research and their insightful comments, which vastly improved the manuscript. Thanks also to Tom Weiss for his support and guidance over the years. I received funding for this project from the following: the Ralph Bunche Institute (John H.E. Fried Fellowship in International Human Rights, 2012, and George D. Schwab Fellowship in American Foreign Policy, 2009); the City University of New York Graduate School and University Center (Doctoral Student Research Fellowship, 2009 and 2011, and Athena Pollis Fellowship in Human Rights, 2009-2010); and the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota (Grants-in-Aid Fellowship, 2010). Thank you to Kristina Obertar at Dunwoody College of Technology for helping me to locate the Dunwoody News profiles of Liberian students. I am eternally grateful to Shawna Brandle and Patricia Stapleton for reading and commenting on countless drafts of this dissertation, as well as for their steadfast support and faith in my ability to complete it. Jen Corby, Balkees Jarrah, Bernadette Ludwig, Jennifer Mueller, Nomvuyo Nolutshungu, Krisjon Olson, Yekaterina Oziashvili, Lisa Rickmers, Korynn Schooley, Danielle Zach, and Bree Zuckerman also read and commented on portions, and/or provided guidance and support over the years. My thanks to them. I would also like to thank Dr. Daniel Rothenberg and the ladies of the dissertation completion group for helping me to get started on finishing. Finally, I owe the greatest debt of gratitude to my family, most especially Cihan for traveling this long journey with me with love and laughter, and my parents, Barbara and Charles, for their never-ending support. All errors, omissions, and faults are my own. For Virgilia, who continues to inspire me, and for Zozan, who makes all things possible. v Table of contents Acknowledgements v List of tables vii List of charts ix Abbreviations x Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Becoming transnational citizens 5 Chapter 2: U.S. immigration and reception policy toward Liberians 40 Chapter 3: Local context: civic participation among Liberians in 110 New York and Minnesota Chapter 4: Reaching out to the diaspora: the Liberian state’s 174 formulation of a diaspora engagement strategy Conclusion 211 Appendix I 219 Bibliography 222 vi List of tables 1.1 Number of persons in the United States (by state of residence) who were 32 born in Liberia, 2010-2012 American Community Survey 3-year estimates 1.2 Number of persons in the United States reporting Liberian ancestry (for 33 those reporting one or more ancestry categories), by state of residence, 2010-2012 American Community Survey 3-year estimates 1.3 Number of persons in the United States reporting Liberian ancestry (for 34 those reporting one or more ancestry categories) in the Twin Cities region, 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables 1.4 Number of persons in the United States reporting Liberian ancestry (for 34 those reporting one or more ancestry categories) in the New York City region, 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables 1.5 Migration waves between Liberia and the United States 36 2.1 Liberian individuals granted asylum (affirmatively) in the United States, 60 1983-2010 2.2 Immigration courts (defensive) asylum statistics: Liberians 61 2.3 TPS and DED coverage for Liberia since initial designation in 1991 64 2.4 Citizenship status of persons in the United States reporting Liberian 78 ancestry (for those reporting one or more ancestry categories), 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables 2.5 Year of entry by citizenship status of persons in the United States reporting 79 Liberian ancestry (for those reporting one or more ancestry categories), 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables 2.6 Sex by age by citizenship status of persons in the United States reporting 81 Liberian ancestry (for those reporting one or more ancestry categories), 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables 2.7 Liberians (by region and country of birth) granted lawful permanent 86 resident status by class of admission, fiscal year 1980-2012 3.1 Liberian refugee arrivals to the top five states, fiscal year 1990-2010 117 3.2 Persons living in Liberian-headed households in New York City in 2000 119 3.3 Ancestry of persons living in Liberian-headed households in New York 120 City 3.4 Persons living in Liberian-headed households broken down by New York 121 City neighborhood 3.5 Citizenship status of persons in Minnesota reporting Liberian ancestry (for 126 those reporting one or more ancestry categories), 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables vii 3.6 Citizenship status of persons in New York reporting Liberian ancestry (for 127 those reporting one or more ancestry categories), 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables 3.7 Year of entry by citizenship status of persons in New York born outside the 128 United States and reporting Liberian ancestry (for those reporting one or more ancestry categories), 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables 3.8 Year of entry by citizenship status of persons in Minnesota born outside the 130 United States and reporting Liberian ancestry (for those reporting one or more ancestry categories), 2006-2010 American Community Survey selected population tables 3.9 Year of entry by citizenship status of persons in the Twin Cities region
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