Ho, Elaine L. E. and Boyle, Mark and Yeoh, Brenda S. A. (2014) Recasting Diaspora Strategies Through Feminist Care Ethics Elaine L.E. Ho, Mark Boyle & Brenda S.A. Yeoh. Geoforum, 59. pp. 206-214. ISSN 0016-7185

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Abstract

The diaspora-centred development agenda holds that migrants lead transnational lives and contribute to the material well being of their homelands both from afar and via circular migration. Concomitant with the ascendance of this agenda there has arisen a new field of public policy bearing the title ‘diaspora strategies’. Diaspora strategies refer to proactive efforts by migrant-sending states to incubate, fortify, and harness transfers of resources from diaspora populations to homelands. This paper argues that diaspora strategies are problematic where they construe the diaspora-homeland relationship as an essentially pragmatic, instrumental, and utilitarian one. We suggest that a new generation of more progressive diaspora strategies might be built if these strategies are recast through feminist care ethics and calibrated so that they fortify and nurture caring relationships that serve the public good. Our call is for an approach towards state-diaspora relationships that sees diaspora-centred development as an important but corollary outcome that arises from prioritising caring relationships. To this end we introduce the term ‘diaspora economies of care’ to capture the derivative flow of resources between diasporas and homelands that happens when their relationship is premised on feminist care ethics. We introduce three types of diaspora economies of care, focusing on the emotional, moral, and service aspects of the diaspora-homeland relationship, and reflect upon the characteristics of each and how they might be strengthened later by foregrounding care now.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the postprint version of the published article, which is available at DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.08.004
Keywords:	Diaspora; diaspora strategy; globalisation; neoliberalism; governmentality; feminist ethics; ethics of care;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > National Institute for Regional and Spatial analysis, NIRSA
Item ID:	6584
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.08.004
Depositing User:	Mark Boyle
Date Deposited:	16 Nov 2015 15:32
Journal or Publication Title:	Geoforum
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://www.sciencedirect.com
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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