Unrevealed diaspora force? Diaspora education as a source of diaspora identity politics in Lithuania

ABSTRACT

Education is a staple in the nation-building process. Therefore, diaspora education is among the main diaspora policy directions in many European states. However, it has been greatly overlooked in diaspora policy studies, as the diaspora policies and institutions are mostly examined from the perspective of the political and economic inclusion of the diaspora. This paper aims to discuss the role of education in diaspora policy studies and diaspora identity politics in Lithuania. This study investigates how the state of origin practices its education policy as a part of identity politics and the diaspora engagement and governance process. The analysis is fostered by the case study of the diaspora education politics in the Republic of Lithuania as an example of an emigration state. The study presents three main groups of mechanisms of using diaspora education for national identity politics, namely, (1) formal, nonformal and informal education; (2) education as a tool of the returning migration and (3) transnational ties with “young ambassadors.”

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by National Science Center of Poland, [grant number 2018/31/B/HS5/00913].

Notes on contributors

Anzhela Popyk

Anzhela Popyk, PhD, is a sociologist and Asisstant Professor at University SWPS. She is interested in migration studies, specificly in child migration, education and diaspora.