The Concept
In today’s world, migration is one of the most distinctive features of globalization. A diaspora, a term originally applied to groups migrating from ancient homelands, is a group of people migrating from the same origin to multiple destinations. While we often think of sovereign states as the place people migrate to, the actual locations they become enmeshed in are more frequently cities within a given country. Diasporas make unique contributions to the economic, political, and cultural life of urban spaces. The diasporic connections within a place generate the notions we have about global cities. Within a destination city, any number of diasporic communities create a constellation of links between the city and the homeland or with diasporas located in other cities and nations.
The Diasporas and Cities working group will explore the relationship between migrating peoples and the urban spaces they live and work in and thereby help assess the ways cities and diasporas become mutually constituted. Moving beyond an accounting of mere “urban diversity,” this project aims to evaluate and interpret the transnational dynamics of and between different diasporas within and across cities. This project is global in scope, but also aims to spotlight the structure and dynamism of Hartford’s diasporas. Scholars from several disciplines with expertise in particular diasporas or related topics will be invited to join the working group.
Salience
The Diaspora and Cities working group presents, potentially, a unique research lens for considering diasporas, a geographically global phenomenon, in urban space and thus achieve a more fundamental and broader understanding of the global in contemporary cities. Academic research on urban populations is extensive, drawing from many disciplines. Urban demography is relevant to governance, development, environmental sustainability, health, culture and other processes.
Welcoming Economies Playbook
