Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Kuschminder, Katie
Author-Email: Katie.kuschminder@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, Maastricht University
Author-Name: Hercog, Metka
Author-Email: Metka.hercog@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, Maastricht University
Title: The power of the strong state: A comparative analysis of the diaspora engagement 
	 strategies of India and Ethiopia
Abstract: Migrant-sending countries are increasingly exploring schemes where human 
	 capital of expatriates can be used for the benefit of the home country's 
	 socioeconomic development. This paper focuses on the mechanisms of 
	 emigration management and problematizes the government involvement in 
	 diaspora engagement. By exploring the two cases of diaspora engagement 
	 policies, namely, that of India and Ethiopia, the paper questions the 
	 success of government mechanisms, establishing the conditions under 
	 which these mechanisms lead to political and economic benefit from the 
	 diaspora. Although countries differ immensely in various aspects, 
	 Ethiopia modeled its diaspora policy after the case of India, which 
	 provides us with a good case for establishing the necessary conditions. 
	 Both countries see diaspora as a key resource in economic development of 
	 respective countries and have therefore invested significant resources 
	 into developing institutions and policies to engage diaspora. 
	 Nevertheless, there are some major differences between the countries, in 
	 terms of the countries' resources and capacities to design and implement 
	 diaspora engagement policies and also in the composition of migrant 
	 communities. While Indian migration has always had an economic 
	 component, the Ethiopian Diaspora is primarily characterized by refugee 
	 flows. Moreover, India has a long history of migration and one of the 
	 largest migrant communities in the world. The paper argues that 
	 government resources and capacities to design and implement policies and 
	 the composition of migrant communities play a key role in determining 
	 the approach governments adopt with their diasporas.
Classification-JEL: J61
Keywords: diaspora, migration, diaspora engagement policy, diaspora engagement,
	 institutions, India, Ethiopia
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2011
Number: 2011-044
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2011/wp2011-044.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2011044