Etymology and Historical Roots of the Diaspora - Term Paper Example

Etymology and Historical Roots of the Term Diaspora This paper will seek to will explore all the aspects of the academic concept “the journey” of the term diaspora. In doing so the paper will rely on academic inquiries and personal thoughts to give detailed information relating to the origin, meaning, development, application, underlying features, and all other issues related to the idea diaspora and by extension diaspora communities. To achieve this, the paper will follow well-defined subtitles that will guide the flow and structure of deriving this information. Generally, the term diaspora relates to the members of a given ethnic and national population where force or induction applied to move them from their traditional ethnic homelands but constantly keep the links with their traditional homelands (Bakewell1 1). Etymology of the term diaspora relates to the study of its origin and the subsequent development of its meanings with time. The term diaspora draws its meaning from the Greek word "diaspeirein" meaning, "disperse.” Indeed, we can separate "diaspeirein" into dia meaning ‘through’ and speirein meaning ‘dispersal.’ (McClennen 15) Traditionally, the word diaspora refers to the forceful removal of the Jews from the Holy Land Judea in 586 BC by the Babylonians and in AD 135 by the Romans to exile and subsequent dispersal throughout the world. Indeed, originally, the term diaspora referred to the process of forceful dispersal of minority ethnic group or religious groups from their ancestral homes. However, from the late twentieth century to today, this term now refers to any group of migrants and their descendants who maintain a link with their ancestry (Bakewell 1) and relate to issues like struggles for political independence, development, and transnational mobilization. Indeed, in the modern world, diaspora refers to the Jews living outside Israel, scattered refugees from South East Asia, Christian minorities in East and South East, the Muslim minority, the African Diaspora among other minority groups (Experience Africa Web). Historical and Current Applications of the Term Diaspora and Its Contested Meanings Historically, the term diaspora applied in defining the process of dispersing minority religious or ethnic groups from their homeland to exile between the 6th and 8th century. Indeed, we can see this application while defining the exiling of the Jews from Judea to exile. Actually, the term historically referred to the dispersal of a given set of peoples mostly the minority who continuously keep the link with their historical ‘homeland’ after dispersal. Specifically, the term diaspora apply principally to Jews and less commonly to Greeks, Africans, and Armenians in the historical diaspora (McClennen 14-15). However, in the modern society, the term diaspora has a seemingly different meaning and application. Indeed, since the late twentieth century, this term generally refers to any migrants and their descendants who face forceful dispersal and scatter all over the world but maintain a link with their ancestry. In fact, in its current application, the term diaspora includes other scattered groups like the Palestinians, Cubans (Bakewell 2), Africans, Christians, Indians, Muslims and other minority groups. As such, almost every nation has a population it can refer to as the diaspora. More so, the current application of the term diaspora has some reference to other pertinent issues like political struggle, investments, and mobilization. Actually, in the current times this term can apply to at least thirty ethnic groups. Identify the Underlying Features of Diasporas Various common features characterize all Diasporas. They include having an everlasting belief that they are not welcome in the host nation and thus maintain a line of separation between them and the host society. Additionally, the diaspora usually encounter dispersal from their ancestry to two or more foreign regions using brutality. Nevertheless, all Diasporas maintain a link with their homeland and thus can mythically remember achievements, history, and location of their homeland. In addition, some Diasporas idealize their ancestral home to the point of contemplating that when living conditions become favorable they or at least their descendants will finally go back (Cohen 6). Moreover, the diaspora expand from their traditional land to foreign regions for purposes of trade or quest to acquire colonies. At the same time, the diaspora have a tendency of idealizing their homeland, believe in maintain it, and seek to restore it to prosperity, and secure it to their descendants. Furthermore, the Diasporas manifest the spirit of empathy and solidarity with their colleagues in other foreign regions. Upon tolerating pluralism, the Diasporas have a chance of leading a favorable life in the host regions. Otherwise, the Diasporas lead an unfortunate life in the host regions due to lack of acceptance and they are always prone to another misfortune. More so, some Diasporas develop a return movement that gains collective approbation. Most of all, many Diasporas maintain a strong ethnic group consciousness, belief in a common destiny, and share a common history (Cohen 8). Historical, Economic, Political, and Social Conditions That Produce These Features Historically, after the destruction of the Temple in 586BC that was not only a religious dome but also a historical monument, the Babylonians took the Jewish leaders captive thus initiating the aspect of alienation and diaspora. Nevertheless, the Jews remained true to their traditions. Even in captivity, the Jews would equally manifest fond memories of their ancestral land and traditions. Indeed, the strength of their traditions, beliefs, and the significance of their norms in their daily lives made them to keep in touch with their ancestry. Additionally, the mistreatments that the diaspora receive in the host societies make them envy their homeland and thus the common features. Economically, the need to advance, survive, and search for resources to sustain their populations, makes people move to foreign regions. Indeed, the presence of better resources, employment, and trading opportunities contribute to trade diaspora. More so, immigrants affect the economy negatively and thus forceful dispersal to other regions. Indeed, many nations are facing the challenge of international migration and lack of capacity to maintain a stable economy thus cannot assimilate their ethnic minorities. However, since the minorities cannot dump their traditions, they have to keep a clear memory of it and seek to improve it and hence the common feature (Cohen 1). Indeed, the ability of citizens to hold dual citizenship and the presence of globalization, thus the diaspora can maintain links, improve their ancestry, pledge allegiance to both host country and their homeland. Actually, universalization, multiple citizenship and fragmentation plays a major role in establishing the common features of the diaspora. Socially, there are host nations that are friendly to the migrants and equally value the input that they possess and hence the diaspora can actually lead a favorable life in the host nation where they may even chose not to return to their homeland. Indeed, the presence of relationships between the diasporic groups and other ethnic groups in a host society through intermarriages lead to an intermediate group that tends to remember, maintain, and promote their ancestry thus the common feature (Ember et al 560-561). Additionally, globalization can actually help the diaspora to maintain and lead their ancestry to prosperity even after the dispersal to other parts in the world. Politically, there has been growing need among nations to have many territories under their control. This has led to colonization of some people and subsequent expansion of borders and thus creation of the diaspora. Hence, the presence of resources and political strength creates a common feature where people expand their presence to foreign regions in search of colonial powers. Moreover, since we can create Diasporas by imagination through the modern cyberspace, then we can establish cultural artifacts through a shared imagination. The Impact of Diaspora Communities on the Nation-State It is factual that the diaspora have both negative and positive effects on the nation-state. Indeed, the Diasporas actively take part in reducing poverty, development strategies, and ensuring economic growth by involving themselves inform of contributions, the host countries and home countries (International Organization for Migration 7-9). Actually, the Diasporas remit large sums of money to their homeland thus contributing to the GDP and thus boosting the economy and sustaining the nationalist struggle. Most assuredly, the diaspora play a huge role in influencing peace-building efforts in a given society. Indeed, the diaspora has the ability to provide financial, political, intellectual, material support, or spiritual power to one side of a conflicting society thus hindering peace. On the contrary, the diaspora can promote peace and a political solution by encouraging deliberations between the warring sides in a given society. Hence, because the diaspora are not homogeneous, their power can either be coercive and non-coercive hence can lead to either conflict or peace (Public International Law & Policy Group 1-3). Nevertheless, the diaspora has frequently been positive in fostering sustainable peace in nation-states. For example, by pressuring the U.S. government and the separatist forces in Northern Ireland, the Irish American diaspora contributed to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 (Governance and Social Development Rescue Centre Web). The diaspora equally play a major role in the political and social life of a nation-state. Indeed, the diasporic groups can form lobby groups that will define the political direction in a nation-state especially where they have votes and candidates of choice. Indeed, with most host nations allowing the Diasporas to change from changing from refugee claimants to citizens in large numbers, this gives them political strength. In addition, the diaspora groups equally relate with other ethnic groups in form of intermarriages thus creating an intermediate group and shared cultures. Indeed, diaspora groups take part in supporting conflict transformation thus affect ting the politics and economy of nation-states. The pro-active diaspora members also form part of foreign policy initiatives. Economically, the diaspora can improve trade relations between states thus influencing foreign and economic policies (Public International Law & Policy Group 30-36). Nevertheless, the diaspora take the security blame in many nation-states. This is because most diaspora are war refugees and thus may transfer their conflicts to other nations thus denting security. At the same time, the diaspora seemingly support policies that are favorable to their homeland. More significantly, the diaspora act as volunteers in many host nations and help in promoting the social life of other communities. For example during the Haiti earthquake, the diaspora volunteers helped in translating text messages from people trapped in rubble thus saving many innocent lives. In addition, the educated and skilled Sudanese diaspora volunteers helped in developing the newest nation on earth as well as supporting the referendum through facilitation of the southern Sudanese diaspora to vote in their host nations (USAID Web). The Impact of Diaspora Communities on the Formation of Ethnic, Racial, Gendered, and National Identities Indeed, the diaspora engage in various relationships with other diasporic groups and ethnic communities inform of intermarriages to give birth to an intermediate group that is generally of a different identity. With these social interactions, the Diasporas form new ethnic and racial identities. However, by retaining their traditions, the diaspora can easily pass their cultural in identity to different generations and in various regions. Most assuredly, some Diasporas have to forfeit their national identities in favor of the host nation identity in areas where multiple-citizenship do not apply. As such, they increase the national identity of the host nation upon their registration. However, in regions where the Diasporas can retain their original national identity, they add to the host nation as they retain theirs. Most importantly, since the Diasporas have a memory of their ancestry, their language, beliefs, norms, and cultures form their identity. Social Sciences and Humanities on Diasporas and Their Processes Actually, Diasporas rise from certain factors like increased populations, stress, search for a better living, quest for education and employment that are social aspects of life. More so, Diasporas engage in other humane and social activities with other diasporic groups and ethnic groups. Such activities may include intermarriages, trade, and formation of multiple identities. Indeed, most Diasporas are a refugee that is a social problem requiring humane intervention. Moreover, Diasporas involve in certain activities like development strategies, political decisions, conflict, and peace making which fall under humanities. Most significantly, the term diaspora has undergone transformations in meaning and applications from the ancient times to the modern day. Tamil Diaspora A large number of about 700,000 refugees and former refugees make up the Tamil diaspora and reside in Canada, Europe, India, and Australia. Sri Lanka the host nation of the Tamil diaspora recognizes and gives residence to Tamil refugee claimants especially in Canada (Cheran 9-12). Worth noting, is the fact different reason including war, search for employment, and education led to the Tamil Diaspora in Sri Lanka. The Tamil diaspora were able to sustaining a society under stress, strain, and displacement upon settling in Sri Lanka. In addition, the Sri Lankan government quotes about $80 million of remittance from the Tamil diaspora a position the Tamil leaders dispute claiming that figure is too high. The Tamil Diasporas are politically strong in the host nation especially after changing from refugee claimants to natural citizens. Hence, they can invest there and give returns to the mother nation. This lowers their chances of returning to motherland with circulation to the most favorable nations being the most probable scenario. Nevertheless, the Tamil diaspora contributed to the civil war in Sri Lanka. Most importantly, the social interactions with other ethnic communities and getting new citizenship help Tamil Diasporas to form multiple identities (Cheran 9-12). To address issues generated by Diasporas across the globe, the international community, and the host nations should formulate effective rules and regulations governing such migration and their interaction with the host societies. In addition, the international community and the host nations should encourage the Diasporas to participate in peace building processes by handling them in humane manner and increasing their participation in policymaking. More so, the international community should formulate rules stating the rights of the Diasporas and host nations should abide by those rules to avoid possible conflicts. Nevertheless, acts of forcible dispersal should cease and the international community should encourage negotiations once a given community seeks to expand for purposes of trade or in pursuit of colonial powers. Most importantly, the international community and the host nations should allow the diaspora to contribute fairly to the development of their ancestry and eliminate notions of discrimination in the allocation of resources to the Diasporas in the host countries. They should equally devise strategies to harness the forces of global Diasporas for purposes of development. Works Cited Bakewell, Oliver. In Search Of the Diasporas within Africa. London: International Migration Institute, University of Oxford, 2008. Print. Cheran R. Diaspora Circulation and Transnationalism as Agents for Change in the Post Conflict Zones of Sri Lanka. Department of Sociology and Centre for Refugee Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada September 2003. Print. Cohen, Robin. “Diasporas and the State: From Victims to Challengers.” International Affairs 72. 3 (1996): 507–20. Print. Cohen, Robin. Global Diasporas: An Introduction. New York: Routledge, n.y. Print. Ember, Melvin; Ember, Carol; and Skoggard, Ian. Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World. Volume I: Overviews and Topics; Volume II: Diaspora Communities. New York: Springer, 2004. Print. Experience Africa. The African Diaspora. Web 20, November 2012. < http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/experienceafrica/index.php?en_the-african-diaspora> Governance and Social Development Rescue Centre. Civil Society beyond the State: The Impact of Diaspora Communities on Peace Building. Web 20, November 2012. McClennen, Sophia. The Dialectics of Exile: Nation, Time, Language, and Space in Hispanic Literatures. New York: Purdue University Press, 2004. Print. Public International Law & Policy Group. engaging diaspora communities in peace processes. Web 20, November 2012. < http://www.diaspora-centre.org/DOCS/PILPG_Engaging_Dia.pdf> USAID. Working with Diaspora Communities to Deliver Meaningful Results. Web 20, November 2012. < http://blog.usaid.gov/2011/05/working-with-diaspora-communities-to-deliver-meaningful-results/> Read More