Human Geopolitics : States, Emigrants, and the Rise of Diaspora Institutions

Human geopolitics, the competition for population rather than territory, is an essential but weakly understood dimension of world politics today. Such competition has preceded violent conflict throughout history, but has been muted since the Treaties of Westphalia laid the territorial foundations of the modern international system in the mid-seventeenth century. Today, however, human geopolitics is being resurrected in unanticipated ways, as governments are enabled and encouraged to engage their emigrant diasporas. How and why is this happening? Until now these questions have been difficult to answer. The majority of research attention has focused on questions of immigration policy in a handful of wealthy migrant destination countries, largely ignoring the emigration policies that preoccupy the worlds many migrant origin states. This book addresses that research imbalance, by focusing on the overlooked sending side of migration policy. Drawing on data covering all UN members across the post-WWII period, and fieldwork with high-level policy makers across 60 states and a dozen international organisations, the book charts the re-emergence of human geopolitics through the global spread of diaspora institutions government ministries and offices dedicated to emigrants and their descendants. It calls for the development of stronger guiding principles and evaluation frameworks to govern these new state-diaspora relations in an era of unprecedented global interdependence. Migration Has Become A Top Priority For Politicians And Policy Makers Around The World, But Most Writing On The Topic Covers Only Half The Issue, Wrongly Assuming That Migration Policy Equals Immigration Policy Where, In Reality, The Majority Of States Care More Deeply About Emigration And The Transnational Involvements Of Emigrants And Their Descendants In The Diaspora. Liberal Democratic States Have Long Considered Emigration Controls Off-limits, For Fear That They Violate Individual Freedom Of Exit At The Same Time As Interfering In The Domestic Affairs Of Other States. But These Norms Are Changing Fast: In The Past 25 Years, More Than Half Of All United Nations Member States Have Established Some Form Of Government Department Devoted To Their People Living0in Other Countries. What Explains The Rise Of These 'diaspora Institutions', And How Does It Relate To The Political Geographies Of Decolonisation, Regional Integration, And Global Governance Since World War Ii? 0this Book Addresses These Questions, Based On Quantitative Data Covering All Un Members From 1936-2015, And Fieldwork With High-level Policy Makers Across 60 States. The Book Shows How, In Many World Regions, The Unregulated Spread Of Diaspora Institutions Is Unleashing A Wave Of 'human Geopolitics': A Kind Of Geopolitics Involving Claims Over People Rather Than Territory. It Argues For The Development Of Principles To Guide The Future Development Of State-diaspora Relations In An Era Of Unprecedented Global Interdependence. Migration has become a top priority for politicians and policy makers around the world, but most writing on the topic covers only half the issue, wrongly assuming that migration policy equals immigration policy where, in reality, the majority of states care more deeply about emigration and the transnational involvements of emigrants and their descendants in the diaspora. Liberal democratic states have long considered emigration controls off-limits, for fear that they violate individual freedom of exit at the same time as interfering in the domestic affairs of other states. But these norms are changing fast: in the past 25 years, more than half of all United Nations member states have established some form of government department devoted to their people living in other countries. What explains the rise of these 'diaspora institutions', and how does it relate to the political geographies of decolonisation, regional integration, and global governance since World War II? This book addresses these questions, based on quantitative data covering all UN members from 1936-2015, and fieldwork with high-level policy makers across 60 states. The book shows how, in many world regions, the unregulated spread of diaspora institutions is unleashing a wave of 'human geopolitics': a kind of geopolitics involving claims over people rather than territory. It argues for the development of principles to guide the future development of state-diaspora relations in an era of unprecedented global interdependence This volume charts the rapid rise of various forms of diaspora institutions, across distinct historical phases and geographical regions, explaining the way that evolving models and best practices of international migration management have increasingly changed the way states see their diasporas and reconfigured the rules of international politics.