Diasporas in Peace and Conflict: Moving Beyond the Peacemaker/Peace Wrecker Paradigm

This panel seeks to explore the multifaceted roles that diasporas play in global politics, particularly in peace and conflict processes within both their countries of origin and residence. With international migration on the rise globally, the influence of diasporas in reshaping political power dynamics, especially in conflict and post-conflict settings, has become increasingly significant. Diasporas operate as transnational non-state actors, exerting influence across borders in both their host countries and homelands. Their involvement can vary from contributing to peacebuilding efforts to exacerbating conflicts, highlighting their complex and sometimes contradictory roles.
The panel invites papers that extend the discussion beyond the traditional peacemaker/peace wrecker dichotomy in diaspora studies, emphasizing the need to view diasporas as actors within a deterritorialized space, capable of engaging in multiple roles and exerting influence in shaping political processes. The discussions will examine theoretical frameworks surrounding diaspora engagement in peacebuilding, conflict transformation, and perpetuation. Topics of interest include diaspora activism, collective identities, opportunity structures, global geopolitics, and memory politics. These frameworks will provide a nuanced understanding of how diasporas influence global political processes and exercise agency in shaping peace and conflict dynamics in both their home and host countries. Moreover, the panel will address the understudied area of intra-diaspora conflicts, which often mirror and adapt the conflict dynamics from their homelands within the context of their host countries. These "cold conflicts," as they are sometimes termed, may not receive significant attention but are critical to understanding the broader impact of diasporas on peace and conflict processes.
By bringing together insights from international relations, political science, migration studies, peace and conflict studies, and other disciplines, this panel aims to foster a deeper understanding of the heterogeneous and dynamic roles of diasporas in shaping global peace and conflict landscapes.