Diasporas in Conflict: Peace-Makers or Peace-Wreckers? by Hazel Smith (Editor), Paul Stares (Editor)

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Diasporas can be a powerful force in international politics. Groups of exiles, refugees, migrants and other forms of diaspora populations play a part in the processes and outcomes of international politics in both their native and their adopted countries. Diasporas can secure tangible and intangible resources to fuel armed conflicts, and they can provide opaque institutional and network structures that enable the transfer of arms and money to terrorist groups. More positively, diasporas can give humanitarian assistance to victims of conflict and they may also support post-war reconstruction efforts. Diasporas have the potential to make substantial contributions to peace and reconciliation.

This book investigates the diverse roles of diasporas in different phases of conflict, including pre-conflict and escalatory phases, hot conflict, peace-making and peace-building. The contributors identify patterns of diaspora intervention in conflicts and focus on leverage points for constructive interventions by global policy-makers. The book brings together globally authoritative voices in the study of diasporas from the diverse disciplines of political science, sociology, cultural studies, literary theory, feminist theory and anthropology.

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