Living Across Worlds: Diaspora, Development and Transnational Engagement

246 Pages·2008·2.12 MB·English

by  Ninna Nyberg Sorensen

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community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding
of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold
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Living Across Worlds:
Diaspora,
Development and
Transnational Engagement
by
Ninna Nyberg Sørensen
CONTENTS
Foreword......................................................................................................................III
An Introduction............................................................................................................ 1
Ninna Nyberg Sørensen
. Globalization,.Diaspora,.and.Transnational.Migration.................................5
. The.Contributions.......................................................................................8
. Note.........................................................................................................13
. References................................................................................................14
Conceptualizing Diasporas: Remarks About the Latino and Caribbean Experience....17
Manuel Orozco
. Abstract....................................................................................................19
. Introduction..............................................................................................20
. Diasporas..................................................................................................20
. Factors......................................................................................................22
. Degree,.Focus,.Initiation.and.Impact.of.Diasporic.Relations......................27
. Conclusions..............................................................................................32
. Notes........................................................................................................33
. References................................................................................................34
Mestizaje and Clothing: Interpreting Mexican-US Transnational Social Space...........37
Fiona Wilson
. Abstract....................................................................................................39
. Why.Did.Rural.Mexicans.Change.Their.Way.of.Dress?..............................41
. Production.of.Transnational.Social.Space..................................................42
. Processes.of.Mestizaje..............................................................................45
. Exploring.Clothing....................................................................................45
. Connecting.Clothing,.Modernity,.Mestizaje...............................................54
. Policy.Implications....................................................................................55
. Notes........................................................................................................57
. References................................................................................................58
Burundians in Belgium: Constructing, Performing and Contesting Diaspora..............61
Simon Turner
. Abstract....................................................................................................63
. The.Transnational.Political.Field................................................................65
. Coming.to.Belgium...................................................................................67
. Les Anciens.–.Constructing.a.Diasporic.Opposition..................................69
. Les Boursiers.–.Confronting.the.Diaspora..................................................71
. 1993.Complex.Diasporas..........................................................................72
. Playing.the.Political.Game........................................................................73
. The.Tutsi.–.A.Diaspora.Apart.....................................................................75
. Other.Options.–.Inter-Ethnic.Meeting.Places.............................................76
. Diasporas.in.Plural....................................................................................77
. Notes........................................................................................................80
. References................................................................................................81
Spaces of Democratic Practice: Nicaraguans in San José, Costa Rica.........................83
Pia Steen
. Abstract....................................................................................................85
. Political.Transnationality...........................................................................86
. Horizontal.and.Vertical.Ties......................................................................88
. Flight.and.Migration:.The.Nicaraguan.Context..........................................89
. The.Nica-Tica.Connection........................................................................90
. Micro-Politics.in.San.José..........................................................................91
. Democratization.and.Political.Cultures.....................................................96
. Discourses.on.Flight.and.Migration...........................................................97
. Why.are.the.Elites.Engaged.in.their.Poor.Compatriots?..............................99
. Dispora.as.Platform.for.Politics...............................................................101
. Notes......................................................................................................103
. References..............................................................................................104
Somali-Scandinavian A Dreaming: When “the Diaspora” Returns to the Desert......107
Nauja Kleist
. Abstract..................................................................................................109
. Somali.Migration....................................................................................110
. Transnational.Social.Spaces.and.Locations..............................................111
. Somscan.and.UK....................................................................................112
. The.Role.of.“The.Diaspora“.....................................................................119
. Somali-Scandinavian.Dreaming..............................................................121
. Notes......................................................................................................125
. References..............................................................................................126
Revolving Returnees in Somaliland...........................................................................129.
Peter Hansen
. Abstract..................................................................................................131
. Dispersal.and.Diaspora...........................................................................133
. Mobile.Markers.......................................................................................134
. Scale.and.Engagements...........................................................................137
. Risk.Management.and.Transnationalism..................................................141
. Oppotunities.and.Individuality.in.a.Virgin.Country.................................142
. Local.and.Diasporic.Capital....................................................................144
. The.Continuation.of.Transnational.Practices............................................146
. References..............................................................................................148
Transnational Family Life across the Atlantic:
The experience of Colombian and Dominican Migrants in Europe...........................151
Ninna Nyberg Sørensen and Luís E. Guarnizo
. Abstract..................................................................................................153
. The.Femination.of.Migration.and.Transnational.Family.Relationships......155
. Care.and.Changes.in.Gender.Relations.Due.to.Female.Migration...........160
. Transnational.Motherhood,.Fatherhood.and.Childhood..........................166
. Intermezzo:.Generalized.and.Domestic.Violence....................................167
. On.Family,.Nation.and.Levels.of.Inclusion..............................................169
. Notes......................................................................................................172
. References..............................................................................................174
Adios Peru: Persistence and Variation in Peruvian Transnational Engagement...........177
Karsten Paerregaard
. Abstract..................................................................................................179
. The.Eight.Migrant.Experiences................................................................182
. Discussion..............................................................................................191
. Global.Network......................................................................................193
. Notes......................................................................................................194
. References..............................................................................................195
Conclusion - Thoughts for Policymakers and Practitioners.......................................197
Ninna Nyberg Sørensen
. Engaged.Diasporas.–.Engaging.Diasporas...............................................200
. Remittances............................................................................................201
. Return.or.Participation.from.the.Diaspora...............................................202
. Transnational.Family.Life........................................................................204
. References..............................................................................................206
List of Contributors..................................................................................................207
FOREWORD
he. International. Organization. for. Migration. is. pleased. to. present.
Living Across Worlds, Diaspora, Development and Transnational En-
Tgagement,.a.collection.of. research.papers,.directed.by.Ninna.Ny-
berg.Sorensen..Our.Organization.has.been.particularly.committed.over.the.
last. few.years. to.proposing. responses. to. the.complex.challenge.of. linking.
migration.to.development.issues.and.this.volume.is.part.of.this.effort.
IOM’s.views.on.migration.and.development. are.derived. from.55.years.of.
experience.helping.governments.to.manage.migration.for.the.beneft.of.all..
IOM.emphasizes.the.pressing.need.to.ensure.that.migration.is.integrated.into.
development.planning.agendas.at.national.and.international.levels.and.that.
the.voice.and.role.of. transnational.players. -. individuals.and.organizations.
-.are.heard.and.taken.into.account..
While. there. is.growing.agreement.at. the. international. level. that.migration.
considerations.need.to.be.routinely.factored.into.development.planning.and.
that.migration.policies.need.to.become.more.“development.friendly”,.there.
are.still.gaps.in.defning.the.effects.of.migration.on.development..The.aim.of.
this.collection.is.to.show.through.selected.case.studies,.the.diversity.of.po-
tential.contributions.of.diasporas.to.the.development.of.both.their.home.and.
destination.countries..The.research.presented.in.this.volume.shows.how.the.
conditions.of.migration.and.integration.in.the.host.societies.can.impact.on.
diasporas’.contributions.to.development.and.thus.more.globally.how.condi-
tions.under.which.migration.takes.place.determine.the.development.impact.
of.migration.
This.research.allows.us.to.“meet”.with.the.diasporas,.listen.to.their.voices,.
enter.their.stories,.get.close.to.their.concerns.and.aspirations,.recognize.the.
diversity.of. their.motivations.and.discern. the.complexity.of.each.personal.
migration.path..Understanding. the.heterogeneity.of. strategies.and.circum-
stances.hidden.behind.the.word.“diaspora”.is.a.key.element.for.developing.
policies.that.effectively.engage.diasporas.for.development..Policies.failing.to.
establish.a.working.agenda.and.an.effective.partnership.with.diasporas.are.
bound.to.generate.very.limited.results.
The.Research.and.Publications.Unit.of.IOM.views.the.collaboration.of.the.
organization.with.scholars.involved.in.research.throughout.the.world,.as.of.
great.signifcance..IOM.provides.a.platform.for.expression.and.exchange.of.
views.between.researchers.and.policy.makers,.represented.by.IOM’s.mem-
bership,.composed.of.120.member.states.in.2007..
This.publication.is.part.of.IOM’s.research.and.policy.programme.on.migration.
and.development,.which.comprises.a.large.number.of.events.and.research.
papers.on. the. subject.. IOM.publishes.numerous.documents.on.migration.
and.development.within.the.Migration.Research.Series.and.the.International.
Dialogue. on.Migration. Series,. all. available. on. IOM’s.website. (www.iom.
int).
The. organization. and. in. particular. the. Research. and. Publications. Unit,.
would.like.to.express.its.gratitude.to.Ninna.Nyberg.Sorensen,.the.director.of.
the.publication.and.to.all.authors.who.contributed.to.this.volume,.Manuel.
Orozco,.Fiona.Wilson,.Simon.Turner,.Pia.Steen,.Nauja.Kleist,.Peter.Hansen,.
Luis.E..Guarnizo.and.Karsten.Paerregaard.
While.directed.to.a.diverse.audience.of.policy.makers.and.academics,.we.
expect.that.this.volume.will.also.interest.social.partners,.non.governmental.
actors,.media.as.well.as. those. transnational. individuals.who.through.their.
own.stories.of.migration,.live.both.“here”.and.“there”.
V
Living Across Worlds:
Diaspora, Development and
1
Transnational Engagement
–
An Introduction
Ninna Nyberg Sørensen

Living Across Worlds: Diaspora, Development and Transnational Engagement
An Introduction