Home Thoughts from Abroad: Diasporas and Peace-Building in Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka |
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| Authors: | Feargal Cochrane Bahar Baser Ashok Swain |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Richardson Institute for Peace and Conflict Research, Lancaster University , Lancaster, UK;2. Department of Social and Political Sciences , European University Institute , Florence, Italy;3. Department of Peace and Conflict Research , Uppsala University , Uppsala, Sweden;4. Uppsala Centre for Sustainable Development , Uppsala, Sweden |
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| Abstract: | This article looks at the dynamics of Diaspora groups as a possible catalyst for peace-building within violent segmented societies. With the help of two case studies, Irish-America's role in Northern Ireland and Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora's role in Sri Lanka, it locates the variable impacts of Diaspora involvement in violent conflicts within their homelands. Despite their unique histories and individual complexity, both of these cases illustrate that Diasporas have a significant role to play in peace-building, are diverse rather than homogenous communities, and that they represent an important and often underutilized resource to bring negotiated settlement to violent conflicts. |
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