What distinguishes diaspora members from simple migrants?

Résumé du document

The highly motivated Chinese and Indians working hard to become prosperous in the United States or Europe, and the haggard Palestinians living in refugee camps have much in common. They are, with the Jews, Japanese, Africans, Afro-Americans, Kurds, Greeks, Gypsies and numerous other groups, members of Diasporas. What could such different groups have in common? Since the end of the World War II and the Cold War, Diasporas have increased. This is related to the raising number of migrations but it is an error to believe that causes for migration are the same as the reasons for Diasporas or for the return to the homeland. Media often mistakes "Diaspora" for "migrant" and even scholars happen to call migrants Diasporas more often. People tend to speak about them as Diasporas more often. Diaspora has been used to cover all sorts of expatriate ethnic communities that can somehow be identified as ethnic, racial, or religious categorical groups. The conceptual and definitional borderlines between individuals and groups of international immigrants, guest workers, asylum-seekers, refugees and Diasporas are still rather blurred. However it is important to distinguish between migrants and Diasporas for assessing the potential for the emergence and further development of new Diasporas in various parts of the world. What distinguishes Diaspora members from simple migrants? Why and when do migrants form new Diaspora entities or join existing ones, and to what extent this choice is made by migrants?

Extraits

[...] Then, what distinguishes diaspora members from simple migrants? Why and when migrants form new diasporic entities or join existing ones and to what extent this choice is made by migrants? In fact, we can't really make the difference between migrants and diasporans and the best solution is to study the point in time at which migrants become diasporans (II). I. Attempts to differentiate diaspora members from migrants A. Basic criteria Numerous of aspects can be find for diaspora members and migrants. [...]

[...] The decision to establish or join diaspora is made predominantly as a result of the migrants'own rational and emotional considerations. This relatively autonomous decision is made after a certain amount of time spent in the hostland. Join a diasporic organization is a mean to stay in contact with the homeland and with our relatives there. As Sheffer says, it is a mean to feel home abroad” and it is often important in the first period of adjustment in the hostcountry. [...]

[...] What distinguishes diaspora members from simple migrants? Introduction The highly motivated Chinese and Indian working hard to become prosperous in the United States or Europe and the haggard Palestinian living in refugee camps have much in common. They are, with Jews, Japanese, Africans, Afro-Americans, Kurds, Greeks, Gypsies and numerous other groups' members of Diasporas. What could so different groups have in common? Since the end of the World War II and of the Cold War, Diasporas have increased. This increase is related to the raising number of migrations but it is an error to believe that causes for migration are the same that the reasons for diasporas or for the return to the homeland. [...]

[...] As Cohen says, degrees of “diasporaness” are not static. That's why some Diasporas may integrate in hostland and become dormant for a while. Conclusion There is not really a difference of nature between diaspora members and migrants but there is a difference of purpose. It is important to study the point in time at which a migrant become a diaspora member. This evolution depends on external factors but above all on migrants own decision. Adachi points out that a diaspora depends on three factors: historical events, internal factors (individual and group psychological state) and external pressure. [...]

[...] A minority of Chinese lives abroad and for most of them, they were not expelled from China. There is a real dispersion in space: South Africa, Europe, Americas, Australia or Caribbean. + Idea that no self-respecting Chinese would leave homeland permanently and Sojourner do not wish or are not allowed integrating to hostland. + maintain links with China and creation of transnational communities thanks to globalization. Even if the Chinese diaspora may imply a unity of migration patterns and conditions that is more apparent than real, scholars consider this entrepreneurial and dynamic group as diasporans. [...]