GB2 17/06/2010 16:47 Page 1 GlobalBrit:Makingthemost 1 oftheBritishdiaspora TimFinchwithHollyAndrewandMariaLatorre Contents Aboutippr.................................................................................................................... 2 Abouttheauthors........................................................................................................ 3 Abouttheresearchteam.............................................................................................. 4 Acknowledgements...................................................................................................... 5 Executivesummaryandrecommendations.................................................................. 6 1.Introduction ........................................................................................................... 13 2.Researchquestionsandmethodology................................................................... 18 3.ThesizeandnatureoftheBritishdiaspora............................................................ 26 4.TheBritishdiaspora:localintegrationandattachmenttotheUK......................... 42 5.CurrentengagementwiththeBritishdiaspora ...................................................... 88 6.MakingmoreoftheBritishdiaspora................................................................... 111 References.................................................................................................................137 AppendixA:Detailsofinterviews ........................................................................... 142 AppendixB.Annualinternationalmigrationflows(thousands),1966-2008.......... 147 AppendixC.EstimatesofBritsAbroadbycountryofresidence..............................149 ©ippr2010 InstituteforPublicPolicyResearch GB2 17/06/2010 16:47 Page 2 2 GlobalBrit|Aboutippr Aboutippr TheInstituteforPublicPolicyResearchistheUK’sleadingprogressivethinktank, producingcutting-edgeresearchandinnovativepolicyideasforajust,democraticand sustainableworld.Since1988,wehavebeenattheforefrontofprogressivedebateand policymakingintheUK.Throughourindependentresearchandanalysiswedefinenew agendasforchangeandprovidepracticalsolutionstochallengesacrossthefullrangeof publicpolicyissues.WithofficesinbothLondonandNewcastle,weensureouroutlookis asbroad-basedaspossible,whileourGlobalChangeprogrammeextendsourpartnerships andinfluencebeyondtheUK,givingusatrulyworld-classreputationforhighquality research. ippr’sworkonmigrationandequalityhasledthewayinpromotingaprogressive, evidence-basedandbalanceddebateonissuesontherangeofmigrationissues. Theviewsexpressedinthisreportarethoseoftheauthorsanddonotnecessarilyreflect theviewsoftheDirectorsorTrusteesofippr. GB2 17/06/2010 16:47 Page 3 3 Abouttheauthors TimFinch oversawthemanagementoftheprojectandwrotethefinalreport.Timishead ofmigrationatippranddirectorofstrategiccommunications.Beforejoiningippr,he workedfortheBBC,andthentheRefugeeCouncilasdirectorofcommunications. HollyAndrewundertookfieldworkinBulgariaandcontributedtothefinalreport.Hollyis aformerresearcheratippr. MariaLatorre undertookfieldworkinSpainandproducedthedemographicanalysisof theBritishdiaspora.Mariawasaresearcheratipprfrom2007to2009.Shespecialisesin quantitativeanalysisofsocialpolicyandhascontributedempiricalanalysistoippr migrationresearch.HerrecentpublicationsincludeTheEconomicImpactsofMigrationon theUKLabourMarket (withHowardReed,2009).BeforejoiningipprMariaworkedwith theColombianGovernmentandresearchcentresfocusedontheeconomicdevelopment ofdevelopingcountries,particularlyinLatinAmerica.ShehasreturnedtoColombiato workasaconsultantandremainsanassociatefellowofippr. GB2 17/06/2010 16:47 Page 4 4 GlobalBrit|Abouttheresearchteam Abouttheresearchteam Thisreportisbasedonamajorinternationalresearchprojectundertakenbyipprin2009. AswellasresearchintheUK,weconductedcasestudyresearchinBulgaria,Dubai,India, SpainandtheUnitedStates.Thefollowingpeopleworkedontheresearchandgave substantialinputtothefinalreport. LauraChappellundertookfieldworkinIndiaandcontributedtoearlierdraftsofthe report.Lauraisaseniorresearchfellowatipprandleadsitsworkontheimpactsof migrationoninternationaldevelopment.Shehasauthoredandeditedanumberof publicationsonmigrationanddevelopmentbothforipprandfororganisationssuchas theOECDandUNDP.PreviouslyLauraworkedasanODIFellowatthePacificIslands ForumSecretariatinFijiandfortheLiberalDemocratPolicyandResearchUniton Treasuryissues. MetteDamsbo undertookliteraturereviewsandstakeholderinterviewsfortheproject. Metteisafreelancesocialresearcherwhohasworkedatipprand,recently,atthe EuropeanSocialNetwork. DavidKeyes undertookfieldworkintheUnitedStates.Davidisagraduatestudent researcherattheCenterforComparativeImmigrationStudiesandaPh.D.studentinthe departmentofanthropologyattheUniversityofCalifornia,SanDiego.Heworksonthe MexicanMigrationFieldResearchProject,andhaspublishedoneducation,civic participation,andtheeconomicstrategiesofmigrantsandtheirfamilies.David’sown researchfocusesonMexicanimmigrantsinOhio. DrJillRutter initiatedtheresearchprojectandcontributedtoearlierdraftsofthereport. Jillwasaseniorresearchfellowatipprfrom2007to2009andisnowheadofpolicy, researchandcommunicationsatRefugeeandMigrantJustice.Shehaspublished extensivelyonallaspectsofmigrationintheUKandabroadwithwellover60books, chaptersandpapersontheissues.Jillisanassociatefellowofippr. FionaSolomon undertookfieldworkinDubai.Fionawasaninternatipprin2009.Sheis aqualifiedlawyerandpriortoworkingatippr,lecturedinlawattheAmericanUniversity inDubaiandBuckinghamshireNewUniversity.Shehasalsocompletedplacementswith UNHCR,MédecinsSansFrontièresandtheCrownProsecutionService. GB2 17/06/2010 16:47 Page 5 5 Acknowledgements WeareverygratefultotheForeignandCommonweathOfficeConsulateServices Directoratewhichfundedthisresearch–inparticulartoDespoMichael,theformerhead oftheStrategyTeamintheDirectorate,whogaveusmuchhelpandfeedbackthroughout theproject,andtoJulianBraithwaite,DirectorofConsularServices.Manyotherconsular officials,bothinLondonandinvariousconsulatesabroad,agreedtobeinterviewedand wereveryhelpfulwithourresearch. Wearealsogratefultotheconsular,embassyandHighCommissionofficialsfromthe manyothercountrieswhowespoketoinLondonandelsewherewhogaveusvaluable insightsintohowothercountriesengagewiththeiremigrantpopulations. InthecourseofourresearchintheUKandabroadwewerealsohelpedbymanyother stakeholdersandofficials,fromNGOs,businessnetworksandotherorganisations.We wouldliketoexpressourgratitudetothemfortheirtime,theirinterestintheprojectand theirinsightsandideas. InparticularwewouldliketothankallthoseindividualBritonsinourcasestudycountries whogaveuptheirtimetobeinterviewedandwhocameupwithmostofthebestideas formakingthemostoftheBritishdiaspora. Inthelatterstagesoftheprojectwehadmoreopportunitiestomeet,learnfromand exchangeinformationwithanumberofexpertsandacademicsworkingondiasporaand emigrantissues.WewouldliketothankinparticularRobinCohen,NickVanHearand AlanGamlenatOxfordUniversity,MichaelaBensonatBristolUniversity,SoniaPlazaat theWorldBankandKingsleyAikensatTheIrelandFunds. Wewouldalsoliketothankouripprcolleagues(pastandpresent)whogavehelpful adviceonthisprojectandthereportasitprogressed–inparticularDannySriskandarajah, GuyLodge,KateStanleyandSarahMulley.GeorginaKyriacoueditedthereport. MaterialfromtheLabourForceSurveyisCrownCopyrightandhasbeenmadeavailable byNationalStatisticsthroughtheUKDataArchiveandhasbeenusedwithpermission. NeitherNationalStatisticsnortheDataArchivebearsanyresponsibilityfortheanalysisor interpretationsofthedatareportedhere. GB2 17/06/2010 16:47 Page 6 6 GlobalBrit|Executivesummary Executivesummary Theimportanceofmigrationinthemodernworldhasfamouslyledtothelate20thand early21stcenturiesbeingdubbedthe‘AgeofMigration’(CastlesandMiller2009).Such arethemovementsofpeoplethatmanygovernmentsfindthathugenumbersoftheir nationalslivenotwithintheboundariesofthestate,butinothercountries.However, homestatesretainsomekeyresponsibilitiesfortheircitizensoverseas.Inadditionto lookingafterthemattimesofneedorcrisis,moreandmoregovernmentshave recognisedthatthesecitizensrepresentagreatasset.Butforthisassettobesupported andmobilisedeffectively,governmentsneedtobeabletoengagewiththeiroverseas populationsinacoherentandstrategicway. Thisiswheretheideaofseeingemigrantsasa‘diaspora’becomesuseful.Therearevery livelyongoingdiscussionsinacademicandpolicycirclesastowhatconstitutesadiaspora. Inusingtheterm‘Britishdiaspora’inthisreportwearereferringtothetotalpopulationof Britishnationalslivingoverseas(thatis,everyBritabroadwhoisnotatouristortravelling forbusiness).WethinktheBritishpopulationoverseashasthefollowingcharacteristics whichqualifythemasadiaspora: • Theyareaclearlyidentifiableandself-identifyingnationalgroup • TheyhaveasenseofempathyandconnectionwithotherBritonsintheircountryof residenceandinothercountriesoverseas • TheyretainanattachmenttotheUKandaninterestinitsaffairs • Theydemonstrateatleastsome‘diasporicconsciousness’,throughsettingupBritish clubsorbusinessnetworks • Theymobilisecollectivelyorshowawillingnesstobemobilised. Thelastfactoraboveisimportanttothisreport.Mostdiasporaactivity(amongtheBritish oranyothernationality)involvesself-mobilisation–andthatisasitshouldbe.Butmany governmentsthesedaysaretryingtoengageactivelywithandtosupporttheirdiaspora communitiesoverseastoservehomestateinterests.TheUKgovernmentistakinga growinginterestindiasporaengagement(withthedevolvedScottishgovernmentinthe vanguard).Thisistobewelcomed,butwearguethatitisimportantthatanyengagement strategyworksintheBritishnationalinterest,intheinterestsofBritishemigrant communitiesthemselves,and–crucially–intheinterestsofwiderglobalgoals.This