Definition:

Collins Dictionary defines the word ‘diaspora’ as ‘people who come from a particular nation, or whose ancestors came from it, but who now live in many different parts of the world’ (n.d.). In addition to this, Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries (2022) suggests a definition of ‘diaspora’ as ‘the movement of people from any nation or group away from their own country; people who have moved away from their own country.’ 

Interestingly, both of these definitions indicate that individuals who are part of a diaspora are those who are originally from a certain country yet may have never lived there or may have moved away to another country. In essence, the word diaspora implies a mass dispersion of individuals from one location to another. However, it is important to dive deeper into the meaning of the word in order to discover the complexity of its definition. Those who are considered from diasporas such as Switzerland or Norway would probably have migrated from their country for much different reasons to those of Syria or Lebanon for example. This is as a result of the circumstances; individuals in westernised (more developed) nations may move for the purpose of a new job or promotion (a want) whereas those leaving third-world (under-developed) countries might be leaving in order to flee war or extremely poor living conditions (a need). 

Historical context:

Historically, the word ‘diaspora’ derives from the Ancient Greek ‘dia speiro’, meaning to ‘sow over’ (Britannica, 2019). This suggests that an individual who was classified as a member of a diaspora was one who disseminated over certain lands, just like a seed is spread over soil to grow. They were essentially considered one of the first settlers from different parts of the world to migrate to new areas. For example, the Jews who moved during the fall of Jerusalem in the early 6th century BCE (Britannica, 2019). The Babylonians won the Jewish-Babylonian War resulting in the exile of Jewish inhabitants from Jerusalem within Israel to Babylon within modern-day Iraq (Britannica, 2019). As a result of this defeat, the Jewish population fled Israel to Iraq and as years went by they continued to spread which eventually led to their population reaching more countries and new continents. It could be inferred that the word ‘diaspora’ was created as a result of settlers being essentially forced to leave their homes such as the Jews in Israel as well as the Greeks as a result of the Romans conquering Greece during the Hellenistic period (HISTORY, n.d.). 

The Jews were once again exiled during the Second World War when Hitler banned their population in Germany. The atrocious and inexcusable behaviour of Hitler and the Nazis during the Holocaust led to physical punishment such as gassing them until they died. This led to severe dispersion of Jews as the ones that were fortunate enough to escape fled back to their original homeland of Israel and other more accepting parts of the world such as the United States. In fact, there is currently a population of 6.9 million Jewish people in Israel and 6 million in the US (Jewish Agency, 2021). Interestingly, although the word ‘diaspora’ contains negative connotations towards its origins due to settlers being forced to flee their homelands such as within Israel, it could be argued that a similar situation continues to occur now. However, now in the sense of certain Jews (Zionists) forcing the Palestinians to disperse. It is important to note that the references to Jewish people does not in any way categorise all Jews but instead refers to the extremists: the Zionists. The severe treatment of the Jews towards the Palestinians such as stealing their homes, beating them, firing rockets at them and bombing religious buildings such as Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, has led to a further dispersion of Palestinians. It is not currently clear how many Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (what is remaining of Palestine) however this proves to be much smaller especially after the mass Isareli invasion of Palestine in 1948 and 2021. It should be acknowledged that in 2019, it was reported that the figure of Palestinian refugees reached 5.6 million. They mostly settle in ‘58 UNRWA-run camps – 10 camps in Jordan, 9 in Syria, 12 in Lebanon, 19 in the West Bank and 8 in Gaza’ (Anadolu Agency, 2020). It could be argued that a diaspora should be a communal collection of individuals who share the same heritage. As well as this, what is key here is the word ‘communal’ – if diasporas can be inclusive towards one another in their own diaspora then why can all diasporas not act the same way towards other diasporas? Diasporas should not result in segregation but instead unity between countries. They should strive to promote peace, not war; even though it may prove quite challenging to achieve nonetheless a necessity in the hope to improve the state of the world.

Diaspora in relation to pedagogy and higher education within the UK:

In terms of higher education, diasporas can be seen throughout the diversification of university students as well as extracurricular activities offered by the student unions of universities such as cultural societies for example, the African & Caribbean Society and the MENA society. The importance of these societies are immense because they create an atmosphere where individuals feel a sense of belonging. By universities offering places to large numbers of students from ethnic minorities, whether they be national or international students, allows an opportunity for further inclusivity within the British educational system for higher education. As well as this, universities offering languages as modules and degrees such as Arabic, Chinese and Farsi as well as degrees related to specific diasporas, ensures that there is more of a sense of cultural inclusion.

Despite attempts by some scholars to limit the use of the term (e.g. Alexander, 2017; Butler, 2001; Cohen, 2008), it has come to encompass diverse groups of people who claim a tie to both their homelands and host lands including highly skilled migrants; refugees; expatriates; and religious and ethnic minorities amongst others (Bamberger et al, 2021). Essentially, in terms of fighting for social justice, the dismissal of entrance for refugees from entering westernised countries such as the United Kingdom should be recognised. The prevention of allowing displaced individuals and refugees from entering Britain means much more than rejection. There seems to be quite often an amount of racism towards these individuals because they could be regarded by some as migrating purely for the purpose of seeking benefits, occupying work and university places. Nevertheless, this should be regarded as an ignorant perspective because a lot of these refugees are highly intellectual and skilled people. They encompass so much knowledge and experience even though their lives were much more difficult than the average westernised individual. They have lived through wars and tried to escape them. A lot of them travel by themselves and have no choice but to leave their families behind in the hope to earn an income and help themselves and their families in the long-run. They are hard-working people who are willing to do what they can, to work multiple jobs, and gain an education at the same time. This is exactly why society should be more understanding and welcoming towards them – they should be accepted rather than segregated. Moreover, this is why groups such as societies and events run by universities are important because they allow people from similar ethnic backgrounds to connect. When they first move to the UK, they may not know anyone and it could feel lonely and isolating at times. There should be spaces for them to meet people that they can befriend.

The Windrush generation should be acknowledged here in terms of how the Black community in the UK struggled accessing higher education. Windrush refers to Caribbean people, such as those from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, who arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1971 (BBC News, 2021). These people were transported to the UK on ‘the ship MV Empire Windrush, which docked in Tilbury on 22 June 1948, bringing workers to help fill post-war UK labour shortages’ (BBC News, 2021). They were authorised to work here post-World War II based on their commonwealth roots. Nonetheless, many of these workers cannot until this day prove their right to live in the UK based on the Home Office not keeping a record of Commonwealth citizens who were already in the UK (BBC News, 2021). This should be highlighted as one  of the ways in which this community was seen as inferior within British society. In addition to this, when reflecting on their lifestyles, whilst parents completed long-hour shifts such as working as nurses for the NHS or labour workers such as  train workers and cleaners, their children suffered in their education (Lammy, n.d.). Schools failed them as they did not believe that they were important as thus less attention was placed on them (Lammy, n.d.). As a result, they would naturally underperform in official exams such as their GCSEs and therefore lead to a large portion of them being unable to enter university. The British government must learn from this mistake and place more focus on Black heritage students in order to prevent an ongoing vicious circle. They should be treated as equal to their White peers in order to receive a fair educational experience. 

References: 

Anadolu Agency (2020). Palestinian population double ninefold since Nakba. [online] Available at: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/palestinian-population-double-ninefold-since-nakba/1839541 

Bamberger, A. et al. (2021). DIASPORA, INTERNATIONALIZATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION. British Journal of Educational Studies, 69(5), pp.501–511.

BBC News (2021). Windrush generation: Who are they and why are they facing problems? BBC News. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43782241 

Britannica | social science. (2019). In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/diaspora-social-science 

Collins Dictionary (n.d.). Diaspora definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/diaspora 

HISTORY (n.d.). Hellenistic Greece. [online] HISTORY. Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/hellenistic-greece#the-hellenistic-age 

Jewish Agency (2021). World Jewish Population Rises to 15.2 Million | The Jewish Agency. [online] Available at: https://www.jewishagency.org/jewish-population-5782/#:~:text=Among%20the%20global%20Jewish%20population 

Lammy, D. (n.d.). The Windrush Generation & Lost Educational Opportunities: How can the Commonwealth learn from this? [online] Available at: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/cecommorguk/pages/134/attachments/original/1545833281/Keynote_Sppech_by_Rt_Hon_David_Lammy_MP.pdf?1545833281 

Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries (2022). diaspora noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com. [online] Available at: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/diaspora 

Suggested readings:

Study.com. (2020). What is Diaspora? – Definition & Meaning – Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com. [online] Available at: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-diaspora-definition-meaning.html (a short video explaining an perspective of a diaspora – please note that you will need to register to watch the full video however can cancel your membership at any time) 

Vertovec, S. (2005). University of Oxford: Centre on Migration, Policy and Society The Political Importance of Diasporas. [online] Available at: https://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/WP-2005-013-Vertovec_Political_Importance_Diasporas.pdf (a journal which explores the reasons why diasporas are important, particularly focusing on the development of nation-building in poorer countries) 

Sigona, N., Gamlen, A., Liberatore, G. and Kringelbach, H. (2015). Diasporas Reimagined Spaces, Practices and Belonging. [online] Available at: https://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/Diasporas_reimagined_Spaces_practices_an.pdf (a journal which explores the lives of African migrants: diasporas, belonging and identity)

YouTube (2021). Diaspora and Internationalisation in Higher Education. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un-4bejKghM (a video based around the concept of diasporas and the internalisation of higher education) 

YouTube (2012). University of Oxford: A Discussion on Diasporas. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8rxYtmJudg (a video that encapsulates the definition and historical context of the word ‘diaspora’ with great depth and detail) 

Questions to ask:

1. Do you think that there is a difference between the types of diasporas that exist in the world today?
2. Do you believe that the definition of a diaspora has changed since its origins?
3. Would you agree with the statement that ‘if there was more unity within diasporas today, specifically those of countries in need, then this would improve the state of the world in terms of a reduction of poverty and more social justice?’
4. Do you personally think that being part of a diaspora allows you to connect to your ethinic background and culture more?
5. Which diasporas have you connected with or could you potentially connect with? PLEASE NOTE: they do not have to be diasporas that you are ethnically attached to however it could be one that means a lot to you perhaps you have a friend or partner from there or one that you would like to learn more about and thus attend events for example, standing in solidarity with Palestine during their protests ran by their diaspora. 

Testimonies from students:

‘

By being part of the Lebanese diaspora, due to being half Lebanese, I feel more of a connection with my ethinic background. Although I have never lived in Lebanon, I have travelled there many times as well as met Lebanese people who are living in London through attending events in the UK. I have also attended vigils, protests, and a range of other events run by Lebanese not-for-profit organisations such as Impact Lebanon as well as events run through the Lebanese Maronite Catholic Church that I attend. In addition to this, last year I registered to vote in the upcoming Lebanese elections in the hope of re-electing a new and open-minded government to help to recover Lebanon politically, economically and socially.