Diaspora Studies Research and Study Opportunities

Diaspora Studies Scholarships

Diaspora Studies Fellowships

Diaspora Studies Networks

Diaspora Studies Relevant accounts on Twitter

What is the difference between Diaspora Studies and Migration Studies? 

Within the context of diaspora studies, it's also essential to discuss migration as a closely related term. In many academic programs, you might meet Diaspora and Migration studies as a joint discipline, and in the others, you might meet them separately. 

Even at the non-academic knowledge level majority can identify the difference between the two terms. Diaspora is a community, while migration is the process of forming this community. Those two disciplines are often used together because they contain the elements of people's movement and international integration. However, there are significant differences described below. 

Migration is the movement of people across different countries of the world. There is a strong interdependence between migration and the economic, political, and social spheres of life. From one point of view, the changes in the mentioned fields are among the main reasons why people migrate. From the other point of view, migration itself creates socio-economic and political changes. Therefore, Migration studies focus more on aspects like history, law, international affairs, sociology, etc. Here, the emphasis is to understand what local and global changes occur due to massive human movement. Migration studies focus on the countries where people arrive a lot and the places they leave the most. 

Diaspora is a community of people who share the same culture, religion, traditions, lifestyle. Most importantly, diaspora members share the same sense of homeland. That is also among the main reasons why diasporas are formed. People from the same nationalities try to build communities in other countries by sharing the same or closer areas and life organizations. This helps them to fulfill their main goal: maintain the national culture and transfer it to generations. Otherwise, there is a significant threat of losing national identity in foreign communities. That's why Diaspora studies have a more emotional and cultural component. The core part of Diaspora studies is exploring how people preserve their nationality in foreign atmospheres. Therefore, the main directions of study and research in Diaspora studies include music, art, literature, cultural anthropology, film studies, etc.

Migration and Diaspora Studies is the combination of the two closely interrelated areas of study. Choosing the academic programs in Migration and Diaspora studies gives you comprehensive knowledge about human physical movements: starting from how the movement is organized to how the further cultural assimilation.  The discipline is also connected to Humanitarian and Refugee studies.

Degree Programs on Diaspora Studies

Diaspora studies are usually regarded in the broader context of migration. The term "diaspora" was first used to characterize Jewish "scattering." The degree programs on diaspora studies concentrate on various aspects of Influence that diaspora can have on motherland or so-called country of origin:

  • Political Influence of diaspora in terms of lobbying and advocacy.
  • Influence of diaspora on civil society development.
  • Economic Influence of the diaspora through remittances and investments.
  • Influence on culture, knowledge and skills, technology.

Undergraduate students enjoy the breadth of the interdisciplinary program on diaspora studies. They can choose from a pool of subjects, such as history, anthropology, migration, law, politics, globalization, etc. Bachelor's degree programs prepare students for higher-level academic studies that are more specialized. Master degree programs on diaspora studies offer an in-depth analysis of transnational characteristics of the global world. Graduate programs also deliver research and critical thinking skills needed to view diaspora issues in a wider context of integration and globalization.

Ph.D. on Diaspora Studies and Related Fields

The highest academic degree program, Ph.D., in diaspora studies is an attempt to further explore different academic thoughts and various aspects of ethnic identities. Fellowships for visiting scholars can benefit academics who do not want to fully engage in Ph.D. studies but are still interested in working in a vibrant academic environment.

The main research directions of Diaspora studies refer to analyzing the migration processed and its impact on different spheres of life. The below topics are the most popular among the majority of educational institutions, offering research opportunities in the field. 

  • Immigrant integration processes
  • Diasporic social relations
  • Transnational ties
  • Ethic boundaries and formulation of new citizenships
  • Political responses to migration, etc. 

ARMACAD Database on Scholarships and Fellowships in Diaspora Studies

The Universities offering programs on diaspora studies usually allocate funds for international students who want to pursue a degree in this field. ARMACAD has a vast collection of scholarship and fellowship opportunities for international students interested in diaspora studies.

The databases are not limited to funding opportunities only. They offer a variety of degree and non-degree programs on diaspora studies and workshops, conferences, summer and winter schools, etc.