Houses on wheels: national attachment, belonging and cosmopolitanism in narratives of transnational professionals

Abstract

This article contributes to discussions on the relationship between national attachments and cosmopolitanization by unpacking the meanings of national attachments and post-national identifications in the case of transnational professionals, focusing on narratives of professionals embedded in transnational business networks in two locations; Istanbul and New York City. Using in-depth interviews, the article argues that in the case of transnational professionals one can talk about ‘rooted’ cosmopolitanism in two senses: first, underlining the continuing role of national attachments as roots; and second, pointing to a process in which the post-national identity is derived from specific experiences in multiple locations, grounding the respondents in their fluid lives. It is through mobility that the respondents develop a sense of belonging – not in spite of it.