ABSTRACT
Diasporas are communities of migrants who come together in their place of residence to maintain connections with their shared place of origin. For as long as there has been human mobility, diasporas have shaped development in their homelands through sending financial, social, and political remittances. Now, in the age of globalisation and digital communication, diasporas have more opportunities than ever to engage in their homeland development in ways which go beyond remittances. This chapter focuses on diaspora advocacy, NGO partnerships, and outreach from homeland states. It discusses how these activities shape development in homelands and critically analyses the roles of diaspora as influencers, brokers, consultants, watchdogs, knowledge networks, distant citizens, investors, and markets. It is clear that without the incorporation of a homeland’s diasporic communities, development trajectories cannot be fully understood and this chapter explains how and why diasporas are going beyond remittances to become crucial and controversial development players.
