Diasporas and Collective Remittances: From State-Driven to Unofficial Forms of Diaspora Engagement

Abstract

This article advances understandings of collective remittances practices by elaborating on the case of the Armenian diaspora in the Netherlands. It argues that the collection, management, and distribution of collective remittances are crucial aspects of how diasporic immigrant groups function. Hence, collective remittances represent a lens through which to analyze a diaspora's internal life, gender differences and tensions, relations with the origin state or homeland, and connections to other relevant institutions. Furthermore, the article brings three new insights to diaspora studies. First, it demonstrates how practices connected to the collection and sending of collective remittances reflect the internal dynamics of diasporic migrations and diaspora-homeland relations. Second, the article unpacks the concept of collective remittances itself, classifying it into three categories: collective remittances initiated from above, with a state-driven character; collective remittances organized by transnational non-state institutions, such as religious institutions and pan-diasporic organizations; and collective remittances initiated from below, organized by migrants and local networks of diaspora members. Third, this article highlights women's roles in organizing alternative forms of collective remittances, from external to official channels. The qualitative examination of collective remittances presented here supplies a new vision of collective remittances in which informal and hidden aspects, gender roles, forms of reciprocation, and creation and circulation of trust are highlighted.

Depictions of Travel in a Portuguese Diaspora Community Newspaper in South Africa

“…Indeed, homeland tourism is often strongly supported through visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel (Butler, 2003;King and Dwyer, 2015;Wagner, 2015;Rogerson, 2017), as well as heritage and roots tourism (Reed, 2013(Reed, , 2015Pelliccia, 2016). These connections are further reinforced through business relations and investment by diasporas in their home country (Elo and Riddle, 2016;Tichaawa, 2017;Williams, 2018;Rabbiosi et al, 2019), remittances to the homeland (Leblang, 2016;Busumtwi-Sam, 2019;Galstyan and Ambrosini, 2022), the development and maintenance of social capital and community networks (Peck, 2020;Li, 2020;Adinolfi, 2019), and place attachment (Otoo et al, 2021;Barcus and Shugatai, 2022;Diener and Hagen, 2022).…”

“…Glaser (2010Glaser ( , 2012Glaser ( , 2013 points t o the reasons surrounding the waves of migration from Portugal to South Africa with many looking for better economic opportunities given the harsh conditions which they chose to leave behind. Thus, given the opportunities in South Africa, it is assumed tha t at some point many would be in a far better position to travel to and invest in the homeland, as well as to send remittances (Leblang, 2016;Busumtwi-Sam, 2019;Galstyan and Ambrosini, 2022).…”