Disaggregating Diasporas as a Force in Role Contestation: Mobilising the Marginalised in Foreign Affairs (Role Theory and International Relations)

"Using a Role Theory lens, this book addresses this shortage of work through investigating Tamil diaspora mass movements and interest groups as forces of domestic foreign policy influence. Until now Role Theory has not considered diaspora mass movements as collective action actors, nor looked at how marginalised diasporas influence elite foreign policy decision-making. Matthew K. Godwin employs a comparative, microfoundational decision-making narrative that looks incisively at decisions faced by the British and Canadian governments in 2009 and 2013 toward the Sri Lankan civil war and its aftermath. Through qualitative, elite-level interviews and content analysis of other primary source data, Godwin convincingly argues that when diaspora interest group elites are leveraging the power of mass movements in concert with credible partisan advocates, they can influence foreign policy decision-making. However, international institutional constraints on role behaviour may stymie their preferred role performance, especially if states are indispensable to the institutions their behaviour may unravel. Ultimately, Godwin concludes that some states can't behave 'badly', even when they want to. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of International Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis, Comparative Politics, Migration Studies and to non-government organizations who seek to influence governments"-- Provided by publisher Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of Figures and Tables List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements 1. Marginalised diasporas: A force in role contestation? Surface-level similarities? Examining Tamil diaspora mobilisation in Canadian and British role contestation Case selection Organisation of the book 2. Diaspora role contestation in Canada and the UK: Theoretical and analytical frameworks All the world’s a stage: Role theory, diasporas and foreign policy analysis Diasporas and foreign policy analysis Disaggregating agency in foreign policy analysis: Diasporas as role-makers in domestic role contestation Role theory and agency: Mass movements as role-making foreign policy agents Role theory and agency: Government and non-government elites as role-making foreign policy agents Role theory and agency: Interaction at the intersection of mass movements, government elites and diaspora interest groups Disaggregating institutions in foreign policy analysis: Domestic institutions, diaspora influence and international role performance Role theory and institutions: Institutional factors and diaspora decision-making access Role theory and institutions: Diaspora influence on domestic role conception and role performance Role Theory and constraints on international role performance Role Theory and role position ascription Role Theory and “indispensable” states Conclusion 3. A marginalised minority: The Sri Lankan civil war, the Tamil diaspora and transnational regimes of marginalisation Defining the “Tamil diaspora” The Tamil diaspora in Canada and the UK The marginalization of the Tamil diaspora: Decolonisation and regimes of migration and securitisation Theories of marginalisation Colonial regimes of marginalisation and the Sri Lankan civil war Regimes of integration, settlement and disempowering diasporas Immigration, integration and settlement in Canada Immigration, integration and settlement in the UK Securitization: The taint of terror and the marginalisation of the Tamil diaspora The LTTE abroad: Transnational conflict and the Tamil diaspora in Canada and the UK The proscription of the LTTE and securitisation of the Tamil diaspora Conclusion 4. From human security to enlightened self-interest?: Canadian and British foreign policymaking permeability and international roles The porousness of foreign policymaking: Who’s “in” in Canadian and British role contestation Models and means in foreign policy analysis Multicultural foreign policy and diasporas as “active” agents in role contestation Processes of Canadian foreign policymaking Processes of British foreign policymaking From Liberal interventionism to enlightened self-interest? Changing role conceptions for Canada and the UK From Middle Power to disruptor? Recent changes in Canadian role conception From intervener to convenor? Recent changes in British role conception Middle Power revisited: Ascribing Canada’s role position A major power by any other name? Ascribing Britain’s role position Conclusion 5. Role contestation and the end of the Sri Lankan civil war: Protest, pressure and role performance The bloody final throes of the Sri Lankan civil war: 2002–2009 The evolution of Tamil diaspora role-making: Overcoming the LTTE Tamil diaspora interest group organisation in Canada: A centralised model Tamil diaspora interest group organisation in the UK: A quick line to Labour Role contestation and ending the war: Role-making in Canada and the UK The Tamil diaspora and role-making in Canada: Early success followed by a faltering strategy The Tamil diaspora and role-making in the UK: Labour inside advocates open the door Vertical role contestation and influencing role conception and performance Agency factors in role contestation Institutional factors in role contestation Diasporas and role contestation strategies Role theoretical implications for disaggregating diasporas in vertical role contestation Conclusion 6. Role contestation for transitional justice: Role constraints and the Commonwealth Post-civil war Sri Lanka and the pursuit of justice The evolution of Tamil diaspora role-making: The post-conflict changing landscape of Tamil diaspora organisations Taking the fight abroad? Post-LTTE transnational diaspora organisations Tamil diaspora role-making in Canada: Aligning with Conservative role conception Tamil diaspora role-making in the UK: The founding of the British Tamil Conservatives Role contestation and mobilising for boycott: Role-making in Canada and the UK The Tamil diaspora and role-making in Canada: “Raising hell” at the Commonwealth The Tamil diaspora and role-making in the UK: A bridge too far Vertical role contestation and influencing role conception and performance Agency factors in role contestation Institutional factors in role contestation Diasporas and role contestation strategies Role theoretical implications for disaggregating diasporas in role contestation Conclusion 7. Conclusion: Diasporas are a force in role contestation, so what’s next? Theories of vertical role contestation: Disaggregating agents and institutions Expanding on non-elite role-makers: Marginalised diasporas in role contestation Diaspora role-makers and domestic and international institutions Mass movements and elite-level role-making: 2009 and vertical role contestation to end the war Elite-level role-making and mobilisation: 2013 and vertical role contestation for justice in Sri Lanka Disaggregating diasporas in vertical role contestation: What now? Appendix: Map of Sri Lanka 209 Index Using a Role Theory lens, this book investigates Tamil diaspora mass movements and interest groups as marginalised forces of domestic foreign policy influence. Until now Role Theory has not considered diaspora mass movements as collective action actors, nor looked at how marginalised diasporas influence elite foreign policy decision-making. Matthew K. Godwin employs a comparative, micro-level decision-making narrative that looks incisively at decisions faced by the British and Canadian governments in 2009 and 2013 towards the Sri Lankan civil war and its aftermath. Through qualitative, elite-level interviews and content analysis of other primary source data, Godwin convincingly argues that when diaspora interest group elites are leveraging the power of mass movements in concert with credible partisan advocates, they can influence role contestation. However, international institutional constraints on role behaviour may stymie their preferred role performance, especially if states are indispensable to the institutions their behaviour may unravel. Ultimately, Godwin concludes that some states can't behave "badly," even when they want to. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of lnternational Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis, Comparative Politics, Migration Studies and to non-government organisations who seek to influence governments.