Diasporas in World Politics

Abstract

Diasporas are transnational per definition. Their emotive, social, economic and not least political cross-border networks with their homeland — or with other segments of the diasporas — constitute one of their main resources for political influence. Indeed, as formulated by Tölöyan: ‘diasporas constitute the exemplary communities of the transnational moment’ (Tölöyan 1991: 5). Diasporas draw considerable strength and viability from the increase in trans-state economic, social and political links, and themselves contribute to the intensification of these processes by their activities. Thus, recent studies demonstrate the social multi-locality and cultural hybridity of transnational communities, as well as their large-scale cross-border investment and trade activities.