Survival of the Knitted

Vilna Francine Bashi Treitler's research examines the intersection of international migration and socioeconomic hierarchies. She is also the daughter of a hub.

"Overall, Bashi's Survival of the Knitted provides a comprehensive, compelling and original contribution to the field of international migration. By exposing the structure and functioning of the hub-and-spoke migrant social network, and connecting black migrants' life chances to systemic racism in the American social structure, Bashi introduces a fresh perspective that brilliantly captures the dynamic and complex process of migration in the United States." - Zulema Valdez, Department of Sociology (Texas A&M University) "This ethnography of Caribbean migrants, their networks, their identity, and their ties to their place of origin is grounded in knowledge of theory and good empirical works . . . It is a fine example of multiple sited transnational field research that links the individual and social in global migration" (Riva Berleant New West Indian Guide) "Survival of the Knitted delivers on its clever titles to make a significant contribution to the literature on migrant social networks... The main value of this book lies in its descriptions of how hubs and spokes work in daily practice and the implications of the distinction between them in the study of migrant networks." - American Journal of Sociology "Survival of the Knitted is a welcome and brilliantly crafted account of the shifting experiences of generations of black Caribbean migrants. Drawing on a wealth of original research and reflection over a number of years it situates the stories of migrants and their families within a broader social, cultural and political environment. Vilna Bashi's account is powerfully written, has a clear conceptual framework and does not avoid vexed questions about race and ethnicity. The voices of generations of migrants are an integral component of the narrative. It is a wonderful book that raises important questions that will be of interest to both the specialist and the general reader." - John Solomos (City University) "Unlke previous scholarly efforts that focus on race and ethnicity, Bashi's book, in providing a broad view of West Indian migration to the United States, Great Britain, and Canada, draws on a variety of theoretical perspectives and examines West Indian immigrants' social networks." - Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare "Until I read Vilna Bashi's work, I didn't fully appreciate how transnational social networks could be mobilized so dynamically by migrants in destination as well as origin communities. Her elucidation of the hub-and-spoke structure of destination-centered migrant networks represents a major advance in our understanding of international migration and the social structures that sustain it." - Douglas S. Massey (Princeton University)

• @fmct:Contents @tco4:List of Figures and Tablesiii Preface: Contradictions in International Migrationiii Acknowledgmentsiii @toc2:1Networking the Globe1 2Globally Incorporating and Marginalizing the Black Caribbean000 3Hubs, Spokes, and a Culture of Reciprocity000 4Getting Smart About Getting In000 5Working and Networking000 6Deepening Network Footholds000 7"We Don't Have That Back Home"000 8Networks as Ethnic Projects000 @toc4:Notes000 References000 Index000