Diaspora - Defining A Concept

Question 1

Diaspora - Definition(s)

Answer 1

• The dispersion or spread of a people from their original homeland
• People who have spread or been dispersed from their homeland

Question 2

Diaspora - Noun & Verb

Answer 2

Noun - ‘A description of people’
Verb - ‘A description of actions’

Question 3

Diaspora - Noun —> Category

Answer 3

• Descriptor of movement of people
• Residence in a country abroad

Question 4

Diaspora - Verb —> Concept

Answer 4

• Movement to at least two countries
• Orientation to homeland
• Ethnic boundary maintenance
• Actions by agents

Question 5

Diaspora - What is a concept?

Answer 5

• To order and define complex evidence
• Ways of understanding (not facts)
• Generalisation and case study
• Theory (Grand & Ground)

Question 6

Diaspora - Theory (Grand)

Answer 6

• ‘from above’
• Forming of an idea without evidence, upon general ideas

Question 7

Diaspora - Theory (Ground)

Answer 7

• ‘from below’
• Makes use of positive methods and mathematical procedure, evidence based

Question 8

Diaspora - Differences Between Migration and Diaspora

Answer 8

• Migrants do not make a diaspora as either category or concept
• If Scots only left for Australia, analysis would be migration, links back to concept “movement to at least two or more countries”, same scenario id small number
• Migrants can tick all criteria of diaspora and so can be defined as, category but in itself is insufficient to define the concept

Question 9

Diaspora - Diasporic Actions

Answer 9

• An active orientation to homeland (St. Andrews Societies, Letters home, Community Migration)
• An aspiration to return which is sustained throughout generations of descent (Sojourners, Affinity Scots, Return Migrants)
• Prioritise their ethnicity (Transplanted Communities, Missionaries)