Organizing mobility: a case study of Bukharian Jewish diaspora
: Maria Elo, Sivaram Vemuri
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
: 2016
: Diaspora Studies
: 9
: 2
: 179
: 193
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09739572.2016.1193942
The contemporary rate and pace of increased migration flows and diaspora formation are creating challenges for the individuals, society and the private and public sector organizations in an unprecedented manner. The literature responses are both discipline and area centric and mostly considered the migrant as a recipient of migration policies and programmes. Studies range from migrants being considered a ‘liability’ and cost to being an ‘asset’, that is, talent or brain. There are a very few investigations in the area how the migrants and diasporas are organizing themselves to overcome migrant being a disadvantage. This paper examines how migrants and diasporas are organizing themselves to overcome alienation and unemployment. It presents a case study of the Post-Soviet era Bukharian Jewish diaspora. This diaspora, particularly its Post-Soviet wave, provides a theoretically interesting example of migrant integration and organization due to its refugee characteristics and instrumental nature. The findings present efficient informal and formal methods of resource employment across generations, and context-specific organizational structures, such as the Bukharian Jewish World Congress, and activities supporting integration while maintaining the cultural heritage, such as the Bukharian Teen Lounge. The Bukharian Jewish diaspora illustrate the role of diasporic agency, resilience and values that foster resource employment and entrepreneurship despite impediments and difficulties. The paper contributes to understanding of how diaspora can self-organize human resource utilization and better employment of its inherent talent, and thus benefit both host and home countries. Further research examining successful cases of integrative diaspora organization and international resource development emphasizing diaspora’s emic view is required for better policy-making.