In the Name of Diaspora: Between Struggles for Recognition and Political Aspirations.

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 c...

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Published in:Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies Vol. 34; no. 7; pp. 1127 - 1144
Main Author: Kleist, Nauja
Format: Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd Sep2008
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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        atl: In the Name of Diaspora: Between Struggles for Recognition and Political Aspirations.
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        au: Kleist, Nauja
      su:
        Diaspora
        Emigration & immigration
        Migrant labor
        Transnationalism
        Political participation
        Self-perception
      sug:
        subj:
          Diaspora
          Emigration & immigration
          Migrant labor
          Transnationalism
          Political participation
          Self-perception
      keyword:
        Political Mobilisation
        Recognition
        Somali Migration
      ab: 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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