The Role of the Diaspora in the Civil Society Development of Somalia/Somaliland: Reflections on the Finland-based Somali Diaspora

Pirkkalainen, Päivi

doi:10.20446/jep-2414-3197-31-1-83

Cited by 2 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Somalia is the most highly dependent country in Africa on personal remittance flows, as they account for 35.3% of the total GDP of the country (World Bank, 2020). In the case of the Somali diaspora, in addition to the remittances sent back home, the diaspora has also been active in participating in politics in Somalia through taking official government roles and by lobbying from abroad (Pirkkalainen, 2015). In Finland, a collaboration between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the local Somali population has led to the development of voluntary associations, where Somalis in Finland are able to carry out development projects in Somalia (Pirkkalainen, 2015).…”

Section: Understanding Diasporamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the case of the Somali diaspora, in addition to the remittances sent back home, the diaspora has also been active in participating in politics in Somalia through taking official government roles and by lobbying from abroad (Pirkkalainen, 2015). In Finland, a collaboration between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the local Somali population has led to the development of voluntary associations, where Somalis in Finland are able to carry out development projects in Somalia (Pirkkalainen, 2015). One of these programs is called Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA), which matches those in the Somali diaspora, largely from Finland, who work in the health or education field, with local projects in Somalia that are focusing on building the public health and education sectors (International Organization for Migration, 2021).…”

Section: Understanding Diasporamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Somalis living in the diaspora feel a strong connection and responsibility for the Somalis living back home (Pirkkalainen, 2015). For many, this responsibility is carried out by ensuring that those in their family and clan living in Somalia are supported financially, but for many others, it means a return to Somalia to offer skills and know-how that they obtained while living abroad (Pirkkalainen, 2015). While the reasons for return are complex and highly personal, for many, the sense of Soomaalinimo is also a motivating factor.…”

Section: The Somali Diaspora and Soomaalinimomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For many that return to Somalia for the first time, they are confronted with the realization that they lack the cultural competency compared to those who have never left (Horst, 2017). Even for those that are not returning to Somalia for the first time, there remains a cultural gap, especially for those who are looking to bring ideas and values learned from their time abroad (Pirkkalainen, 2015). This can lead to the local people viewing the qurbajoog as being too Westernized and may reject any improvements or innovations they make to business or politics.…”

Section: Analysis and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Somalis living outside of Somalia have an intimate tie to the future of Somalia but are, at the same time, developing new multi-hyphenated identities in the countries they currently live in. With some Somalis returning to Somalia to build their lives back home, many are facing new challenges with integrating into Somali society (Horst, 2017; Abdile/Pirkkalainen as cited in Pirkkalainen, 2015). This raises questions about what it means to be Somali and about Soomaalinimo.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diasporic futures: exploring evolutions of identity among Somali-Canadians

Nur

2022

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Purpose Among the Somalis living in the diaspora, there is a growing number that are returning or are interested in returning to Somalia for personal, economic and political reasons. The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential impact the diaspora has on the future of Somalia by understanding the anticipatory assumptions held by young Somali-Canadians. This research will also examine the role that Soomaalinimo [1] (Somali identity) plays in the transnational ties that diasporic individuals keep with their country and its people. Design/methodology/approach Using an indigenist research approach, this paper explores the evolution of Soomaalinimo over time in a way that is culturally informed and decolonial. Young Somali-Canadians in two cities (Toronto and Edmonton) were given an opportunity to define Soomaalinimo for themselves and create scenarios of how it might evolve in the future for their great-grandchildren. An analysis of these scenarios reveals anticipatory assumptions that shape how they think about the future. Findings Three distinct futures scenarios emerged, and this research revealed three key anticipatory assumptions held by the participants: Somalia will always be home; returning to Somalia is important to maintain Soomaalinimo; and it is the responsibility of the previous generations to transmit Soomaalinimo to future generations. These anticipatory assumptions are examined and an analysis of the implications on decolonizing futures is presented. Originality/value This study expands the conceptualization of the future of a country to include the diaspora and uses the concept of anticipatory assumptions to reveal some of the potential implications of this group.

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Section: Understanding Diasporamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Understanding Diasporamentioning

confidence: 99%