Gone but not forgotten: the (re-)making of diaspora strategies

Abstract

This review article summarises the literature on the relations between states and their diaspora. Policy-makers are struggling to know how best to respond to and possibly harness the potential of kindred communities abroad. The article outlines a wide spectrum of policy initiatives and categorises them into three groups: economic, political and socio-cultural. Five economic, four political and two socio-cultural factors are discussed as are a wide variety of implementation strategies evident in different jurisdictions. Though the focus is on Asia, examples have been chosen from locations worldwide. Academically, the article identifies the empirical and conceptual deficiencies in studies on diaspora strategies.

Keywords:

• diaspora strategies
• neoliberalism
• economic factors
• political factors
• socio-cultural factors

Notes

^1. Waldinger, “A Limited Engagement.”

^2. Ionescu, Engaging Diasporas as Development Partners.

^3. Ancien, Boyle, and Kitchin, Exploring Diaspora Strategies.

^4. Chander, “Homeward Bound.”

^5. Barry, “Home and Away.”

^6. Gamlen, Diaspora Engagement Policies.

^7. Kalm, “Diaspora Strategies.”

^8. Foucault, “Governmentality”; Rose, Powers of Freedom; Cruikshank, The Will to Empower.

^9. Kalm, “Diaspora Strategies,” 393.

^10. Ibid., 396.

^11. Larner, “Expatriate Experts and Globalizing Governmentalities,” 334.

^12. Lowell and Gerova, Diasporas and Economic Development, 24.

^13. Saxenian, Silicon Valley’s New Immigrant Entrepreneurs, 54–55; Lucas, “International Migration Regimes.”

^14. Chan, “Hybrid Diaspora and Identity-Laundering.”

^15. Ho, “Claiming the Diaspora,” 761; Zweig, Fung, and Han, “Redefining the Brain Drain.”

^16. Lowell and Gerova, Diasporas and Economic Development.

^17. Gutiérrez, “Fostering Identities,” 546.

^18. See note 16 above.

^19. Cohen, “Diasporas and the Nation State.”

^20. Ibid., 518–9.

^21. Vertovec, The Political Importance of Diasporas; Lowell and Gerova, Diasporas and Economic Development, 21.

^22. Ho, “Claiming the Diaspora,” 761–2; Zweig, Fung, and Han, “Redefining the Brain Drain.”

^23. See note 3 above.

^24. Farrant, MacDonald, and Sriskandarajah, Migration and Development, 14.

^25. Ratha, “Workers Remittances.”

^26. Gutiérrez, “Fostering Identities.”

^27. See note 3 above.

^28. Lowell and Gerova, Diasporas and Economic Development, 10.

^29. Graham, “Diaspora-Owned Firms.”

^30. Ho, “Claiming the Diaspora,” 761–2; Zweig, Fung, and Han, “Redefining the Brain Drain”; Chen, “The Limits of Brain Circulation.”

^31. Smith, Mexican New York.

^32. Waldinger, “A Limited Engagement,” 13.

^33. Ibid., 7.

^34. Øestergaard-Nielsen, “International Migration and Sending Countries.”

^35. See note 7 above.

^36. Ibid., 386.

^37. Øestergaard-Nielsen, “International Migration and Sending Countries”, 5.

^38. King and Melvin, “Diaspora Politics,” 134.

^39. Chen, “A Comparative Qualitative Analysis,” 20.

^40. See note 3 above.

^41. Laguerre, “State, Diaspora, and Transnational Politics,” 635.

^42. Ibid., 634.

^43. See note 26 above.

^44. See note 3 above.

^45. Agunias and Newland. Developing a Road Map.

^46. Chen, “Un’analisi Comparativa delle Dimensioni Transnazionali.”

^47. Zweig, Fung and Han, “Redefining the Brain Drain.”

^48. Shih and Chen, Tibetan Studies in Comparative Perspective; Chen, The Uyghur Lobby.

^49. Chen, The Uyghur Lobby.

^50. Mani and Varadarajan, “The Largest Gathering of the Global Indian Family”; Ho, “Claiming the Diaspora,” 764.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yu-Wen Chen

Yu-Wen Chen is Lecturer of Government at the University College Cork (UCC). Her research interest is in diaspora politics and ethnic mobilisation.

Author’s postal address: Department of Government, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Emilie Racine

Emilie Racine holds a MBS in International Public Policy and Diplomacy from the University College Cork (UCC).

Author’s postal address: Department of Government, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Neil Collins

Neil Collins is Dean of the Graduate School of Public Policy, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan. His research interest is in public policy and management.

Author’s postal address: Graduate School of Public Policy, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan.