This workshop is organized as part of a larger conference "Diasporas and Contested Sovereignty: Lessons Learned about Transnational Diaspora Mobilizations in Europe” on 28-29 September, 2017 at Warwick University, and is sponsored by the European Research Council.

The workshop seeks to consolidate scholarly discussions about the role of diasporas linked to the Middle East and North Africa from the Global North and South, and to move on from initial consideration of diasporas as simply conflict or peace actors. It will look into broader conflict and postconflict dynamics, where a variety of domestic and international actors influence political processes, and endorse or challenge weak states, their governance or international recognition. When do diasporas mobilize with their loyalties towards sectarian or nationalist factions, and when do they do so on the basis of citizenship and cosmopolitan ideas? When and how do they seek transitional justice for past atrocities and what is the role of trauma for their mobilizations? How do original home-states in the Middle East and North Africa and non-state actors operating on their territories reach out to diasporas abroad? When do diasporas sympathize with their causes or when do they oppose them? How do contexts of host-states and spaces within and beyond them, as well as liberal and non-liberal regimes shape diaspora mobilizations?

If you are interested to participate, please send a paper abstract of max. 300 words by 10 July, 2017 to Dr. Maria Koinova, PI of the ERC project “Diasporas and Contested Sovereignty” at m.koinova@warwick.ac.uk.

More information is available here.