ABSTRACT
Within the last 20 years, ‘diaspora’ has become a widely used term in the social sciences and humanities as well as in the political sphere. At least in the Western world, the idea of belonging to a diaspora has lost its stigma. On the contrary, many now see it as a resource for identity politics and the asserting of claims. As a result, scholarship on diasporas and diasporic movements has significantly increased over the last two decades: numerous conferences, dealing solely with the phenomenon of diaspora,1 take place every year. Even journals completely dedicated to diaspora scholarship and research have emerged.2
