300655 Mobilising from Abroad: The formation and activism of diasporas (S) (WiSe 2022/2023)

The increase in international migration and the proliferation of modern means of communication and transportation have led to the notion of the formation of an ever-increasing number of diasporas. Today, diasporas are understood as exemplary ‘transnational communities’ of widely dispersed migrants and their descendants with a shared origin. In places of settlement they (re)construct a certain origin-based identity and maintain close relations in their ‘homeland’. These make them also attractive to policy-makers in the fields of migration and development as well as peacebuilding.
In this course, we will deal with the question of how diasporas mobilize for their country of origin within transnational settings. The course proceeds in the following way: In the first sessions, an understanding of what diasporas are or how they can be conceptualized will be developed. In order to develop an understanding of how mobilization takes place, a social movement perspective will be introduced. This will be followed by sessions addressing in what ways they engage. While in the early 2000s, diasporas were largely considered to perpetuate conflicts in the country of origin, meanwhile the scholarly discussion becomes more nuanced and their positive impact is increasingly highlighted. Diasporas’ potential for bringing about change in the country of origin is emphasized in domains such as development, post-conflict reconstruction, democratization, human rights promotion and transitional justice. Towards the final sessions, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the study of particular cases, selected according to individual interests.
The language of the classes and your assignments is English. The seminar lives from your active participation. Regular contributions to the discussion are expected.