Diaspora Populations

• Author: Barbara Tint, Caroline Sarkis, Sa'eed Mohamed Haji, Vincent Chirimwami, and Carmina Rinker Lass
• Pages: 7-22

Diaspora Populations 7

Background andResettlement Issues

Diaspora populations around the world present an ever‐growing global force. Many

regions of the world are represented by heavy migration and are often shifting. The

increase of migration roots in various issues including vestiges of colonization, civil

wars, ethnic conflicts, famine, rural underdevelopment, lack of opportunity, and

political complexities. Migration is either forced or voluntary and impacts a wider

circle of people from both the home region and the resettlement context. As migrant

populations increase, so does the need for services to accommodate them and the

challenges they face. This is the case now more than in recent years as we see popula-

tions from war and conflict zones facing the refugee crisis that is changing the

landscape of populations in so many countries worldwide.

The term diaspora broadly refers to a scattered population, originating from the

same general region. It now encompasses “a motley array of groups such as political

refugees, alien residents, guest workers, immigrants, expellees, ethnic and racial

minorities, and overseas communities” (Shuval, 2000, p. 41). People enter the

diaspora for differing reasons and under differing circumstances. The international

body that works most directly with diaspora populations is the Office of the

UnitedNations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR is tasked

with addressing concerns related to refugees, asylum‐seekers, internally displaced

persons (IDPs), stateless persons, and returnees (returned refugees and IDPs)

(UNHCR, n.d.‐a). The UNHCR maintains an active web page and database that is

useful for the most recent and up‐to‐date information on these issues and popula-

tions: http://www.unhcr.org.

Although all members of the diaspora share certain experiences related to reloca-

tion and cultural adaptation, their status varies depending on the circumstances of

their migration. Tipping (2010) provides a useful summary:

Refugees are individuals forced from their homes, villages or countries and who

apply for admission to another country at an overseas facility such as a refugee camp.

The 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention defined a refugee as a person who: “owing to

a well‐founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,

membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country

of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself

of the protection of that country” (UNHCR, 2002).

Immigrants or “voluntary” migrants are not forced from their home country.

They might immigrate to join family members, or they are seeking a better life for

themselves and their families. They might also be fleeing from adverse circum-

stances but they are doing so with a greater sense of choice than refugees and are

able to do so through different channels. In reality, however, immigrants typically

choose to emigrate due to similar struggles in their home country to those of refugee

communities.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) share many characteristics with refugees, but

while they are displaced from their homes and communities, they remain in their

own country. Unlike refugees, they are not protected by international refugee law.

8 Barbara Tint et al.

Asylum‐seekers are persons who have applied for asylum or refugee status, but

have not yet received a final decision on their application (UNHCR, n.d.‐b). They

are individuals who cross borders into another country and apply for asylum due to

fear of persecution in their homeland. The host country can grant or deny applica-

tions to these individuals or detain them for further examination or hearing by an

immigration court judge.

In practice, the UNHCR often considers IDPs and asylum‐seekers under the

category of refugee, and all are considered forced migrants, as distinct from economic

or other “voluntary” migrants (Ager, 1999). The number of forced migrants fluctu-

ates from year to year, depending on the number and nature of conflicts around the

world. In recent years, forced population displacement has grown in both size and

complexity. While developed countries such as Australia, Canada, Great Britain, and

the United States resettle some refugees and displaced persons, developing countries

are host to four‐fifths of the world’s refugee population (UNHCR, 2009). The

UNHCR estimates that half of the world’s refugees live in urban areas and one‐third

in camps; however, in sub‐Saharan Africa seven out of ten refugees reside in refugee

camps (UNHCR, 2009). As diaspora populations are continuously fluctuating, the

most reliable resource for current statistics about the numbers and origin of current

diaspora migration trends is the UNHCR statistics website: http://www.unhcr.org/

en‐us/figures‐at‐a‐glance.html.

Regardless of the circumstances that propel people into the diaspora, almost all

migrants struggle to rebuild their lives. They share the common experience of

undergoing a life‐altering transition, aggravated by the reality that it is typically

forced and stemming from adversity. They endure various degrees of loss and

trauma, including separation from family, isolation, breakdown of community,

discrimination in their new environment, and loss of identity, status, and livelihood.

As they resettle, their ability to lead successful lives is further challenged by new

cultures, religions, climates, educational systems, economic realities, employment

situations, languages, and social and political barriers. They are often minorities in

their adoptive countries and neighborhoods, which adds an additional layer of

racism and marginalization they have not previously encountered. Communities in

the diaspora face a continuous battle in trying to manage this trauma and loss, while

at the same time striving to hold on to their traditional heritage and culture.

Dynamics intheDiaspora

Research on the experience of diaspora communities has begun to grow across an

array of disciplines. General trends are emerging, and certain dimensions of shared

experience contribute to a perception of uniformity that belies the uniqueness and

differences within groups. One salient discussion that emerges from this literature is

of the struggle to preserve ethnic identity and at the same time adapt to the host

culture (Arthur, 2000; Hume, 2008; Koser, 2003). This tension is ever changing and

dependent on a number of different factors, including gender, age, class, and the size