Defining Diaspora

Diaspora: Definitions The term Diaspora literally means “scattering” or “dispersion.” Derived from Greek word dia (over, through) and speiro (to sow, to scatter) (Cohen, 507-520; Bhat and Sahoo, 141167), the word “Diaspora” was originally used to refer to the dispersion of the Jews to the lands outside Palestine after the Babylonian captivity. Since the late twentieth century, the idea of diaspora has been used to describe any ethnic population who resides in the countries other than their own historical homelands. In broader usage, it describes displaced people who maintain their connection with their country of origin and includes a range of groups “such as political refugees, alien residents, guest workers, immigrants, expellees, ethnic and racial minorities, and overseas communications” (Shuval, 41). The term diaspora has been approached Empire in the nineteenth century. Indians were taken away as indentured labor to the British colonies such as British Guiana, Fiji, Trinidad and Jamaica, to the French colonies of Guadeloupe and Martinique, and the Dutch colony of Surinam (Tinker, 1993). After World War II, like other modern dispersal communities, Indians provided both labor and professional help with the reconstruction of war-torn Europe. The first waves of Indian emigration to developed countries were mostly labour flow from rural regions in India to these European countries. However, during the middle of the 20 th century, Indian emigrants began residing in the UK, USA, Australia and Canada as these sites turned to immigration for supplies of well educated and professionally trained Indians from urban middle class families. Large group of Indian migrated and took place as a result of slavery in British, French and Dutch colonies in 1834, 1846 and 1873. Group of labour was recruited for colonial plantations in Asia, Africa, Caribbean and Pacific. All workers were followed by Indian traders and professionals under the free passage system. The colonial connection also led to emergence of small Indian communities in UK, North America Australia and Canada. The shortage of labour after the Second World War facilitated the migration of Indians to Canada. The US also emerged as an important destination for higher education. The Immigration Act of 1965 in US and the regulations introduced in Canada in 1967 paved the way for the settlement of a large number of professionals in both these countries. Rapid economic growth and expansion of technical education particularly in IT has given a fillip to further migration to the developed countries. U.S.A. Australia and Canada have been recipients of large number of Indian students. Many of whom settle down after completing their education.