| Sumario: | Since the early 1990s, the concept of diaspora has propagated in migration studies and gradually been appropriated by many migrant groups, who describe themselves as 'diasporas' in relation to political mobilisation and self-portrayal. In this article, claims made in the name of diaspora and their conditions for possibility are analysed through a focus on Somali migration. Two main arguments are presented. Firstly, that the identity category of 'the Somali diaspora' is constituted between marginalisation and invocations of a transnationally committed community, dedicated to the development of the homeland. Secondly, that the proliferation of diaspora claims can be understood as part of a broader societal development where migrant groups are seen as potential political actors. On the one hand, it is suggested this relates to the so-called 'recognition turn' where potential political legitimacy is ascribed to social struggles driven by experiences of misrecognition or marginalisation, making 'diasporas' possible political actors—as minorities. On the other hand, there is a global tendency in policy circles to refer to 'diasporas' as either dangerous or constructive agents of change in their erstwhile homelands, implying a focus on transnational resources and agency. The article argues that together these tendencies form favourable conditions for diaspora identification, drawing on two repertoires of rights and political action which can be used in different instances of political mobilisation.
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