Abstract
The employment of translocality as a research perspective is currently gaining momentum. A growing
number of scholars from different research traditions concerned with the dynamics ofmobility, migration
and socio-spatial interconnectedness have developed conceptual approaches to the term. They usually
build on insights from transnationalism while attempting to overcome some of the limitations of this
long-established research perspective. As such, translocality is used to describe socio-spatial dynamics
and processes of simultaneity and identity formation that transcend boundaries—including, but also
extending beyond, those of nation states. In this review, we trace the emergence of the idea of
translocality and summarise the characteristics that different authors associate with the term.We elucidate
the underlying notions of mobility and place and sketch out fields of research where the concept has been
employed. On the basis of our findings, we conclude by proposing key areas where a translocal approach
has the potential to generate fruitful insights. Blackwell Publishing Ltd