Diaspora for Development: in Search of a New Generation of Diaspora Strategies

View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by MURAL - Maynooth University Research Archive Library CHAPTER 11 DIASPORA FOR DEVELOPMENT: IN SEARCH OF A NEW GENERATION OF DIASPORA STRATEGIES Mark Boyle and Rob Kitchin National University of Ireland Introduction oncomitant with a calling into question of the brain drain thesis, in the past decade considerable attention has been given to the ways Cin which diaspora populations can and do impact the development of their homelands from their overseas locations. Whether construed is clear that at key moments in the past diaspora communities have asassumed selfless responsibilities patriotism and normally paternalism held or by self-promoting — and in so doing meddling, chal it lenged the autonomy of — sending states. At times, they have acted to infantilize institutions in their homelands. More recently, however,- there has been growing recognition that diaspora contributions can play a more progressive and supportive role in helping sending coun tries to help themselves. This book subscribes to the view that at least some diaspora communities have the potential to play a positive role- in the empowerment of institutions in sending states, and thereafter mining architects of their own futures. The purpose of the book has tobeen undergird to map, theconceptualize, emergence scrutinize,of these states and ascritique capable the and wide self-deter variety- of ways in which countries’ talent abroad mobilizes and acts to transform, improve, scale up, and fortify the capacity of public, private, and civil institutions at home. Chronicling how diaspora groupings impact domestic institutions immediately begets a follow-up question: is it possible to proactively buildintervene? and create Many opportunitiescountries now for, believe design, that finance, such interventions and growth ofare not diaspora-homeland projects and, if so, how might policymakers best IN SEARch OF A NEW GENERAtiON OF DIASPORA STRATEGIES 315 only possible, but also necessary and advantageous, and have pio neered a new area of public policy often referred to as diaspora strat egy. While most commonly championed by poorer countries, including- Argentina, Armenia, China, Chile, El Salvador, Ghana, India, Jamaica, - Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tunisia, diaspora strategies have also been pursued by comparably more advanced nations, such as Australia, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, and Scotland. A wide range of diaspora strategies and associated diaspora schemes (institutions, instruments, policies, programs, and initiatives) have already been conceived and implemented. Moreover, many countries are now partici seminars, publications, toolkit manuals, and conferences, are identify - patinging best in practices a global dialogueand swapping and through and adapting joint policy schemes. transfer workshops, - While some view this turn to diaspora as a mere extension of existing ment as a fundamental departure from existing practice. According approaches to development, others view diaspora-centered develop- development (examples include the former command economies of toEastern Thomas Europe, Faist, thefor developmentalinstance, prior emphasisstates of Southeast upon either Asia, state-led and China) pursued in the western capitalist world and some states in the develop or market-led development (e.g. the neoliberal economic strategies - ingcome world) to occupy has given more way central to a ground.new commitment1 In this context, to community-led diaspora constit or civil society-led development in which the concept of social capital has - uenciesindustry are now being is to positioned activate and by mobilizesending statesdiaspora as significantagents as enablers brokers of global economic competitiveness. The objective of the development philosophical shifts implied in, and the forms of development promoted of national development projects. In due course, a full audit of the 2 by, diaspora-centered development will be required, including who benefitsThis book from addresses such development, a different but where, related why, question. and how. It places exist ing diaspora initiatives under critical scrutiny and asks how these initiatives might be embellished, recalibrated, and developed so as -to contribute more effectively to the development of the home country. It builds a case in support of a new generation of diaspora initiatives that are better equipped to harness diaspora groupings in the building of institutions in sending states, and provides an analytical framework and a set of policy prescriptions to guide future practice. Its desire to rethink and refocus practice is rooted in the reservations it has about the unwarranted fanfare and associated cottage industry that appear to be developing around diaspora strategies. In too many cases, it is alleged, ill-defined and overly broad diasporaPopulation Spaceconstituencies and Place are being 1 Thomas Faist, “Migrants as Transnational Development Agents: An Inquiry into the Newest Round of the Migration-DevelopmentProgress in Nexus,”Human Geography 14 (2008): 21-42. 2 Elaine Lynn-Ee Ho, “Claiming the Diaspora: Elite Mobility, Sending State Strategies, and the Spatialities of Citizenship,” 40 (2011): 1-16. 316 HOW CAN TALENT ABROAD INDUCE DEVELOPMENT AT HOME? engaged; ineffective blueprints and bureaucracies are being imposed on an already crowded landscape of organic transnational relations; selves. There is a pressing need, it is argued, to adopt a new pragmatic and diaspora strategies are becoming all-consuming ends in them- orforegrounded; indirect approach and diaspora in which movers specific and diaspora shakers elites are engaged and champions only if are prioritized; existing and successful diaspora-to-homeland ties are theyWhile are this able call to for contribute a new focus to concrete undoubtedly projects deserves with clearcareful outcomes. scru tiny, we are in broad agreement with the renewed sense of mission - articulatedand extension by ofothers the various in this book.calls for This a reorientationfinal chapter isin thereforepractice that less ahave critical been commentary made. We structure on earlier our chapters discussion and intomore three a refinement sections. In Section I we provide a brief introduction to existing practice and, by way of contextualizing the call for change endorsed in the book, iden - tify two key trends that have marked diaspora strategizing to date: theII we tendency outline infor greater strategies detail to thebe too key state-centric components andof the the alternative excessive emphasispragmatic placed and indirect upon general approach nation-building and draw upon projects. the Scottish In Section and Irish cases to illustrate the approach’s utility as a guide for policymakers and practitioners. Finally, in Section III, we identify what we consider to be astakeholders crucial supplement and strategic to the alliesproposed from framework: a) countries the of destination,importance andof buildingin particular what from we term the Global “enabler North, engagement and b) sending programs,” states which themselves. mobilize We examine lessons that might be gleaned from the recent European (JMDI). We conclude by drawing together the strands of our discussion Commission-Unitedand proposing an overarching Nations Joint schema. Migration and Development Initiative I. Diaspora Strategy: A Review of Existing Practice A. Diaspora and Development: The Birth of a New Agenda success or failure of national economic development strategies. The Historically,loss of talent emigration from a country has beenwas consideredviewed as a a barometer sign that the of thestrategy being pursued by that country was not working. In turn, the emigra tion of skilled labor from any country constituted a brain drain and was assumed to further weaken that country’s ability to develop. As- IN SEARch OF A NEW GENERAtiON OF DIASPORA STRATEGIES 317 this book has shown, however, in the past two decades, countries of origin have begun to explore the ways in which emigrant populations positively impact development in their homelands from overseas. As a result, countries are increasingly interested in how the energy and talent of émigrés might most effectively be harnessed.3 tions impact the development of sending states (see Figure 1). Often Wethese have impacts identified are viewed up to ten as pathwaysrelatively isolated,through whichif welcome, diaspora intrusions. popula- strategies, but are in turn frustrated by weak domestic institutions Theyand capacity. provide Rarely,short-term however, remedial do diaspora antidotes interventions to failing developing leave domes tic institutions intact. From hometown associations to agricultural cooperatives, from charities to advocacy groups, from churches and - sized enterprises (SMEs) to pension funds, from political parties to religionsnational arts to medical and cultural and scientific institutions, academies, from electoral from small systems and medium- to citi - zenship laws, from terrorist organizations to peace-keeping missions, fromto technology satellite TVtransfer, media diaspora to social communitiesnetworking sites, have frommolded, flood and defense are systemsmolding, to institutions disaster management, in their homelands from university in ways that alumni we are projects only now starting to understand. While it is true that certain kinds of interven tions lend themselves better to this mission than others (knowledge

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