Despite its growing spread and success, the concept of diaspora suffers an evident lack of systematic definition, not only from a theoretical but also from an empirical point of view. This paper discusses the main results of an on-line survey of young foreigners attending the University of Pisa with the aim of contributing to a bottom-up definition of the concept of diaspora through the analysis of a wide set of instrumental but also expressive and cultural indicators. In fact, if strength of ties, amplitude and frequency of contacts with other natives (living at home and/or abroad) are generally considered the main proxy indicators of a possible diasporic structuration of migrant groups, the paper argues that there are at least other three cultural and sociological conditions that makes these outcomes possible or not: (i) whether or not the migrant group members belong to a wider transnational network, (ii) a shared sense of community with its members, (iii) participating in a common project that involves the whole community.
Measuring Diasporic Identities A Survey on Foreign Students Attending the University of Pisa
TOMEI, GABRIELE
2009-01-01
Abstract
Despite its growing spread and success, the concept of diaspora suffers an evident lack of systematic definition, not only from a theoretical but also from an empirical point of view. This paper discusses the main results of an on-line survey of young foreigners attending the University of Pisa with the aim of contributing to a bottom-up definition of the concept of diaspora through the analysis of a wide set of instrumental but also expressive and cultural indicators. In fact, if strength of ties, amplitude and frequency of contacts with other natives (living at home and/or abroad) are generally considered the main proxy indicators of a possible diasporic structuration of migrant groups, the paper argues that there are at least other three cultural and sociological conditions that makes these outcomes possible or not: (i) whether or not the migrant group members belong to a wider transnational network, (ii) a shared sense of community with its members, (iii) participating in a common project that involves the whole community.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
