Exploring Migrants’ Experiences

The International Migration Institute and six other centres at the University of Oxford are involved in a programme looking at the impact of ‘diasporas’ - ‘transnational’ communities of people dispersed from their homeland). The programme is funded by the Leverhulme Trust from 2011 to 2015.

The researchers are interested in the connections between people who migrate to other countries and those who stay at home. What effects do these connections have on people in the country of origin, people in the country of destination, and on the migrants themselves?

‘Traitors’ and ‘champions’

Globalisation is increasing. More and more people are choosing to move from one country to another, and back again, as both travelling and communication become easier. Often, groups of people from one country may move to several other countries and yet still stay in touch with each other and also with those who stayed at home. Such ‘transnational’ communities are known as diasporas.

Diasporas are feared and loved, appearing both as traitors and champions. Traitors, because they may seem to have abandoned their country of origin for pastures new; and champions, because they may pioneer new opportunities overseas and invest in the economy back home. Groups of migrants may create networks; forge distinct identities in countries of destination; or blend with indigenous communities.

The Oxford Diasporas Programme team is investigating the social, economic, political and cultural impacts of diasporas, asking the following questions:

• What are the various possible ways in which diasporas can develop?
• What are the impacts of these developments?
• Who initiates and experiences these impacts?

Migrants as peace-builders

In one of the 11 projects, Nicholas Van Hear of the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society is focusing on the case of Sri Lanka. Tamils from Sri Lanka are just one example of a mass refugee movement which has developed into an established global diaspora. In the past such diasporas have often been portrayed as ‘warmongers’ who want to stir up conflict in their country of origin. More recently, these diasporas have been credited with carrying out a peace-building role in the war-torn society back home. As is often the case, the reality shifts between these two extremes. This project explores the kind of community and society that may emerge from diaspora formation and engagement in conflict and post-conflict settings.

The diasporas of East London

The East End of London is characterised by a history of many different migrant communities moving in and out of the area. This project considers faith-based community organisations (Christian, Jewish and Islamic) in East London from the late nineteenth century to the present. Jane Garnett and Alana Harris of the Faculty of History and Michael Keith and Ben Gidley of the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society look at the effects that such organisations have had on whether the various diasporas are included in or excluded in the host society. How have the different waves of migration developed differently? And how have they been shaped by the shift from an officially monocultural Christian Britain to an officially multicultural secular Britain?