Reframing transnational engagement: a relational analysis of Afghan diasporic groups

Abstract

In recent years, there have been repeated calls to refocus studies of diasporic engagements, especially their conceptual underpinnings, underlying assumptions and units of analysis. Based on a qualitative case study of Afghan diasporic groups in Britain and Germany, I propose a refined approach to such engagements. I combine the distinction between different spheres of engagement with key concepts from relational sociology. Afghans in both countries participate in a plethora of transnational engagements, which vary according to the extent of their orientation towards the public or private sphere. At the same time, clearly delineated groups of people undertake engagements observed in different spheres, which different aims and objectives drive. Although informants' attachments to their home country are important, they are not the only basis on which they act. My conceptual angle seeks to inspire critical, nuanced and theoretically rich research on diasporas as social actors and transnational civic engagement in a wider sense.

Global development, diasporic communities, and civic space

“…The dominant geographies of the migration‐development nexus presume the movement of people from the global South to the global North, with diasporic‐led development centred around the transfer of varying forms of capital from unified groups of migrants connected through shared ancestry and values, oriented to bringing material changes to a static homeland (Brah, 1996; Mohan, 2008; Rollins, 2010). Scholarship in development studies, politics, geography and international relations amongst others, has considered diasporic relationships to countries of heritage, often in the global South, through varying forms of civic engagement and participation for example, hometown associations (HTAs) (Bada, 2015; Fischer, 2018; Lamba‐Nieves, 2018; Mercer et al., 2008; Strunk, 2014; Symth, 2017), financial and social remittances (Burman, 2002; Page & Mercer, 2012; Smyth, 2017) and political activism (Adamson, 2020; Bernal, 2018; Godin, 2018; Ho & McConnell, 2019; Kennedy, 2019; Koinova, 2018; Ndlovu, 2014). These bodies of work articulate the interconnected nature of diasporic engagement, with Mercer et al.…”

“…These examples, and particularly the quotation from Adamson (2020: 155) above, articulate how diasporic participation in development processes is situated in multiple unsettled yet spatially and temporally interconnected locales, with the liminality that is integral to diasporic experience shaping such engagement (Fischer, 2018; Horst, 2018; Kadhum, 2020; Koinova, 2018). Diasporic civic participation then gives voice to social and political concerns “in, between and across specific locations” (Horst, 2018: 1353).…”

Mobilizing Diasporas: Understanding Transnational Relief Efforts in the Age of Social Media

“…A particularly illuminating study of Tamil diaspora [9] sheds light on the complexities of diasporic involvement in the time of crisis -people have different reasons to engage in 'homeland politics', and such engagement happens across diverse social contexts. Moreover, due to the ambiguity of post-conflict reconstruction as a concept (which elusively presupposes that the conflict is over and the reconstruction has begun, which is not always the case), diasporas may choose to sponsor communities in their homeland in a variety of ways: by sending remittances to family members, donating to charity organizations, or supporting local businesses operating in their homeland [9], [13].…”

“…Diaspora scholars call to analyze diasporic engagement not only by its type (political advocacy/ humanitarian aid) or level (local/national/transnational), but also consider the social contexts in which this engagement is embedded [13]. Fischer posits that identifying specific narratives and discourses of engagement with the country of origin helps better understand the nature of diasporic activism.…”

“…Importantly, social media is unmatched when it comes to recognizing charitable efforts among community members, which, in turn, prompts new waves of donor contributions [1]. Studies outline three mediating factors that facilitate user involvement in relief campaigns: personal ties with the person(s) affected by a disaster (family/friends); patriotism toward a country/locality and its inhabitants (imagined community); and feelings of concern for disaster-affected populations ('known community') [1], [13]. In the next sections, I explore whether and how these factors manifest among the Ukrainian diaspora communities in order to better understand the contexts and the roles diasporas play in transnational relief efforts in the age of social media.…”