From knowledge to action: South Asian diaspora engagement in times of crisis

ABSTRACT

This article elucidates the underlying rationales underpinning the significance of the focal subject matter of the special issue. It also furnishes a comprehensive synopsis of the eight individual contributions encompassed within special issue. During periods of crisis, the diasporic communities assume an integral role in navigating and alleviating the repercussions of emergencies. This article meticulously scrutinises the extant body of knowledge pertaining to diaspora involvement in crisis scenarios, whilst accentuating pivotal discoveries and valuable insights. Ultimately, the article culminates by discerning lacunae in knowledge and pinpointing realms warranting further scholarly inquiry. It conspicuously underscores the exigency for empirical investigations that meticulously assess the efficacy of divergent models and interventions concerning diaspora engagement within contexts of crisis.

KEYWORDS:

• Diaspora
• pandemic
• refugee
• South Asia
• academic diaspora
• resilience

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

S. Irudaya Rajan

S Irudaya Rajan is Chair of the International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD), Kerala, India and chair of the KNOMAD (the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development) thematic working group on internal migration and urbanisation, World Bank. He is one of the expert committee members to advise the Government of Kerala on Covid-19. Prior to this, he was a Professor at the Centre for Development Studies (CDS). Professor Rajan is the Founding Editor in Chief of Migration and Development (Sage) and the editor of two Routledge series - India Migration Report and South Asia Migration Report. He is a lead editor of the new Springer series – South-South Migration.

AKM Ahsan Ullah

AKM Ahsan Ullah is Associate Professor of Geography, Environment and Development at the University of Brunei Darussalam (UBD). He has an extensive research portfolio and has worked with prestigious institutions such as the City University of Hong Kong, IPH at the University of Ottawa, McMaster University, Saint Mary's University, Dalhousie University in Canada, the American University in Cairo (AUC), Osnabruck University, Germany, and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand. Dr. Ullah's research focuses on important global issues such as population migration, human rights, development, globalisation, and the environment. He has published 15 books, 60 articles in leading academic journals, and 40 book chapters.