Diasporas, Remittances and State Fragility: Assessing the Linkages

• Published in: Ethnopolitics Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 201 - 219
• Main Authors: Lum, Brandon, Nikolko, Milana, Samy, Yiagadeesen, Carment, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 01.06.2013
• Subjects: Civil War; Conflict; Diaspora; Domestic affairs; Ethnic groups; Ethnic Relations; Payments; Quantitative Methods; Remittances; Risk; Security; Stability; State capacity; Transnationalism
• ISSN: 1744-9057; 1744-9065
• DOI: 10.1080/17449057.2012.744217

The growing prominence of diaspora communities around the world has led to increased recognition of the role they play in the domestic affairs of their respective homelands. Current research in the field of ethnic conflict has begun to focus on transnational ethnic linkages, identifying and analysing a wide range of processes through which they affect political and social outcomes. However, the overall impact of these relationships on civil conflict is still poorly understood. Although existing quantitative research in this area is limited, there is some evidence to suggest that, under certain circumstances, diaspora groups pose a risk to intrastate security by increasing the probability of civil war. Approaching the issue from a state fragility perspective, this paper challenges the notion that transnational ethnic linkages are primarily detrimental, proposing instead that kin groups with the greatest capacity to mobilize resources are more likely to promote stability. The results of the analysis support this hypothesis, indicating that larger, more geographically concentrated diasporas located in high-income, democratic host states typically have a stabilizing effect on fragile home communities.