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AEGIS European Conference on African Studies
11 - 14 July 2007
African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Mobilizing for development and reconstruction: Somali-Danish transnational associations
| Panel |
42. Transnational spaces/cosmopolitan times: African associations in Europe
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| Paper ID | 362 |
| Author(s) |
Kleist, Nauja
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| Paper |
No paper submitted
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| Abstract | Development initiatives by migrant populations have recently attracted increasing interest among policy makers, scholars, NGOs, and migrants themselves. Migrants and ‘diasporas’ are seen as possible agents of development and change, whom not only remit money to their countries of origin, but also transfer ideas of political, social and cultural change. The dispersed Somali population constitutes no exception. The almost global dispersion and the extended transnational relations and remittance economy have lead led scholars, policy makers and Somalis themselves to speak about a ‘Somali diaspora’, which is encouraged and expected to engage itself in the reconstruction of Somalia through individual to family and kin or collective remittances to reconstruction projects. ‘The Somali diaspora’ it seems, is a transnational agent of development and change, expected to engage itself in the reconstruction and development of Somalia and Somaliland.
This paper analyses Somali transnational associational engagement with a specific focus on reconstruction projects, supported by Somali associations in Denmark. It is based on fieldwork in Copenhagen as well as supplementary fieldwork in Somaliland and London. The paper compares two Somali associations, different in size, scope and objectives, engaged in the reconstruction of Somalia: A big, transnational umbrella organisation, organising for the collective return of Somalis in Scandinavia and the UK to Somaliland as well as a small, Somali-Danish association, which has donated a water pump to a southern town in Somalia. Though these associations are very different in organisation and objectives, they share some of the same visions of development, democratisation, and governance. Articulating themselves as part of ‘the diaspora’, the involved migrants and organizers position themselves as agents of modernity and democratization, through their exposure to peaceful democracy in Denmark. The paper suggests that an important aspect of such engagements is to ‘make a difference’ in terms of reconstruction and reconciliation. Likewise it argues that transnational engagements offers recognition and the (re)gaining of respect and status in a context of possible marginalization in the host country. Finally, the paper reflects upon the analytical and political implications of deploying the concept of diaspora. It is suggested that while the contributions of the ‘Somali diaspora’ can hardly be overestimated, it is still necessary to pay close attention to who is claiming to be or represent ‘the diaspora’ – and who is excluded from this category.
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