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Diaspora | Definition, History & Examples

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Natarielle Powell, Cirrelia Thaxton
What is diaspora? Learn the diaspora definition and learn about diasporic communities. See diaspora examples and
study notable diasporas in world history.

Table of Contents

What is a Diaspora
Diaspora: Examples in World History
Diasporic Communities
Reasons for Diasporas
Significance and Impact
Lesson Summary

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What is a Diaspora
 The Scattering of People All
Around the World

A diaspora, or scattering, occurs when a community of people is dispersed from their native or indigenous territory
and settles in another geographic location. There are two main types of diasporas: voluntary (by one's own freewill)
and involuntary (by force). Thus, the people of the diaspora are a kindred, either directly related or similar in their
culture and ethnicity.

The biggest modern diaspora is the voluntary. In the past, diasporas were associated with persecution and suffering,
such as that experienced by the Jewish community in Israel or people of African descent brought to the United States
and other islands for the purpose of enslavement. However, the modern definition also recognizes and encompasses
the voluntary movement of a people as a diaspora. Indian diaspora. Over 18 million people who call India their
homeland live in other places around the world.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) lists the features that all diasporas have in common:

Migration
Collective memory or myth about the ancestral home
Connection to the country of origin
Sustained group consciousness
Sense of kinship within the diasporic community

Etymology and Usage

The term comes from the Greek "dia" meaning through or between and "speiro" meaning to scatter. The traditional
usage of the word has normally been used to describe the shared relationships of a group despite its new geographic
location. The modern definition takes into account post-migration groups (forced or not) who are living elsewhere in
the world and are still connected culturally to their native community.

Diaspora: Examples in World History

There are many examples of diasporas throughout world history. Perhaps the most notable are the ones that were
involuntary or forced by an oppressor on a particular community of people. Here are a few examples:

African Diaspora

Bodies Bound for the Middle

Passage and the Transatlantic
Slave Trade
The Africans were transported to different countries to serve as slaves, free labor to build the companies and
plantations for wealthy slave owners. The men, women, and children were examined at public auctions and sold to the
highest bidder. The largest recorded slave auction, called "The Weeping Time," was held in Savannah, Georgia. On
March 2nd and 3rd in 1859, 436 men, women, and children were sold and dispersed to other cities and states.

Jewish Diaspora

Jewish diasporas have occurred multiple times throughout Israel's history, starting with the Babylonian Exile in the 6th
century BCE during which the Babylonians captured Jews, took them to Babylonia, and enslaved them. Although Cyrus
The Great allowed the Jews to return to Palestine some fifty years later, many chose to stay behind. Since the
Babylonian Exile, Jews have migrated (moved) both forcedly and voluntarily to many areas around the world, and
currently, the scattered Jews outnumber those who reside in Israel.

Armenian Diaspora

The Armenian Diaspora refers to the results of the genocide of Armenians during World War I (WWI) by the Ottoman
Empire's military. A large majority of the escapees and deportees who survived settled in Russia and the United States.
It is important to note that there was another wave of Armenian immigration, sometimes referred to as the "Second
Armenian Diaspora." This was the result of those Armenians who had initially relocated to countries within the Middle
East after WWI who now wanted to leave after conflicts within the Middle East began to escalate after World Word II.

Diasporic Communities

Leaving China in Search of Better

Opportunities

Although the largest diasporas were involuntary, there are some diasporic communities that have migrated on their
own accord. Most often with a voluntary diaspora, the people form a group of economic emigrants, having left their
home country in search of better living situations and career opportunities. Frequently, these individuals have a relative
or friend of a relative who has already emigrated and will provide the emigrant with lodging, work, and help
assimilating into the dominant culture. The individual seeking a new start need only save money for travel to his home
country.

Let's discuss a few voluntary diasporas..

Chinese Communities in California

In the 1850s, there was a surge of primarily Chinese men flocking to the United States, particularly San Francisco,
California. Escaping the poor conditions in China, these men who were skilled workers and professionals in their
native land often took on menial and entry-level jobs to make ends meet in America. They learned the language, and
many brought their families over once they'd saved enough money to support them. A great deal of the migrant
workers joined labor gangs and helped to develop the Transcontinental Railroad.

Syrian Communities in Germany

Since 2011, rebel organizations and the Syrian government have been embroiled in a civil war that has claimed the
lives of countless innocent Syrian people. While some were forced to leave the country, many fled willingly to save
their lives and the lives of their families. An estimated 800,000 Syrians left to settle in Germany. Although some may
desire to never see Syria again, the Syrian law dictates that the diasporic communities cannot return to their homeland
even if they wanted to. What's worse, they no longer have a claim to any homes or businesses that they owned. Under
the Absentees Law of 2018, the government takes possession of any property that the refugees owned.
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Video Transcript

Definition of Diaspora

From the Greek word meaning 'to scatter,' a diaspora is defined as a community of people who do not live in their
country of origin, but maintain their heritage in a new land. Many of you can probably relate to this issue, since you've
got ancestral roots from one country but reside in a different place. For instance, in the United States, a plethora of
ethnic communities exist. Americans can be classified according to sub-cultures, such as African-American, Mexican-
American, Irish-American, and Indian-American. Inclusion of emigrants, or people who have left their homelands to
settle permanently in a different one, is a major characteristic of a diaspora.

You may also hear the term 'dispersion,' which is a requirement for diaspora to exist. Dispersion refers to a movement
away from a particular space, like the petals of a dandelion blowing in the wind. Thus, you can imagine that, due to
dispersion, people form transnational communities in which members are committed to restoring homeland values.
For instance, Jewish people living outside the land of Israel constitute a well-known example of a diaspora.

Consequently, diasporas have been associated with loss and exile--two words that denote suffering and tragedy.
Another group of people--the Africans--were forced to move away from their homelands because of slavery in colonial
America. Hence, a multitude of diasporas have occurred globally due to religious, social, political, economic, and even
natural forces. These forces can range anywhere from violent revolutions to massive earthquakes--essentially
anything that disrupts the normal flow of life.

Meaning of Diaspora

Does a diaspora have meaning beyond a community of transcultural individuals? One might expect from study of its
definition that a diaspora can have different meanings. It's true that 'diaspora' has a number of kindred terms that
reflect on its definition from unique perspectives. For example, 'transnationalism,' 'globalization,' 'post-colonialism,' and
'trans-culturalism' are related terms meant to mark communities of people in host societies.

Thus, the meaning of a diaspora has evolved over time to include not only ethnic groupings in foreign countries but
also the migration of individuals seeking work or citizenship. Unlike a diaspora or community of people, migration is
the actual movement. For instance, forced by natural disaster, the diaspora of Hurricane Katrina survivors caused
many patterns of migration from Louisiana throughout the United States.

Furthermore, as transnational communities are formed, they often contribute to the development and peace-building
of their countries of origin. For instance, direct diaspora organizations have been established to act precisely, donating
money and goods and providing educational support. Similarly, indirect diaspora organizations, such as governmental
actors, participate in activities that benefit nations all over the world. Thus, either direct or indirect diaspora
organizations also offer help in the form of human capital, whereby individuals return to their countries of origins as
volunteers on a temporary basis. In this way, members of a diaspora can pay homage to their ancestors by giving back
to their country of heritage.

Lesson Summary

A diaspora is a group of people who have migrated into another country by some force or situation but maintain close
ties with their homeland. Typically, a diaspora embodies emigrants, or people who have left their homelands to settle
permanently in a different one, and their descendants and also involves dispersion, a requirement reflecting the
transition of group members into a new living space.

Direct and indirect diaspora organizations help diasporas to stay positively involved with their countries of heritage by
maintaining cultural bonds that go beyond time and space.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of a diaspora?

A diaspora occurs when a community of people is dispersed or scattered from their native territory and settles in
another geographic location. This scattering has happened several times in history, particularly in the African,
Armenian, and Jewish communities.

What is another word for diaspora?

Another word for diaspora is scatter. The diaspora refers to the voluntary or involuntary scattering of people from their
native land to another geographic location.

What are the biggest diasporas in the world?

The biggest diasporas in the world occurred in Africa, Israel, and Armenia. The African diaspora involved countless
numbers of African people being sold into slavery in the Transatlantic slave trade and Arab slave trade. The Jewish
diaspora in Israel involved thousands of Jews taken captive by the Babylonian army, and the Armenian diaspora
occurred when oppression from the Ottoman Empire forced Armenians from their homeland.

What is the biggest modern diaspora?

The biggest modern diaspora is the Indian diaspora. Over 18 million people who call India their homeland live in other
places around the world.

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