Failed Diaspora

Somali migrants do not always succeed in meeting the high expectations of their families and communities. This article focuses on this “failed diaspora”, i.e. the experiences of those Somali migrants who have been deported or returned to Somaliland, either by authorities or their families, because...

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Main Author: Marja Tiilikainen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nordic Africa Research Network 2011-03-01
Series:Nordic Journal of African Studies
Online Access:https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/194
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author Marja Tiilikainen
author_facet Marja Tiilikainen
author_sort Marja Tiilikainen
collection DOAJ
description Somali migrants do not always succeed in meeting the high expectations of their families and communities. This article focuses on this “failed diaspora”, i.e. the experiences of those Somali migrants who have been deported or returned to Somaliland, either by authorities or their families, because of criminal behaviour, mental illness, drug abuse or life styles that Somali parents cannot accept. It is hoped that they will recover in Somaliland by being “returned to culture” or by receiving religious and traditional treatments. In the diaspora a Somali migrant continues to belong to an extended Somali family, its values and networks, and the family may make strategic decisions on behalf of an individual. Ultimately, the success of a transnational Somali family is dependent on the behaviour, achievements and resources of its individual members. This article is based on a total of 6 months ethnographic fieldwork that was carried out in Somaliland in 2005–2011.
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spelling doaj.art-7bed50cdaaea4934a7a9182b87c272692023-09-03T13:15:33ZengNordic Africa Research NetworkNordic Journal of African Studies1459-94652011-03-0120110.53228/njas.v20i1.194Failed DiasporaMarja Tiilikainen0University of Helsinki Somali migrants do not always succeed in meeting the high expectations of their families and communities. This article focuses on this “failed diaspora”, i.e. the experiences of those Somali migrants who have been deported or returned to Somaliland, either by authorities or their families, because of criminal behaviour, mental illness, drug abuse or life styles that Somali parents cannot accept. It is hoped that they will recover in Somaliland by being “returned to culture” or by receiving religious and traditional treatments. In the diaspora a Somali migrant continues to belong to an extended Somali family, its values and networks, and the family may make strategic decisions on behalf of an individual. Ultimately, the success of a transnational Somali family is dependent on the behaviour, achievements and resources of its individual members. This article is based on a total of 6 months ethnographic fieldwork that was carried out in Somaliland in 2005–2011. https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/194
spellingShingle Marja Tiilikainen
Failed Diaspora
Nordic Journal of African Studies
title Failed Diaspora
title_full Failed Diaspora
title_fullStr Failed Diaspora
title_full_unstemmed Failed Diaspora
title_short Failed Diaspora
title_sort failed diaspora
url https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/194
work_keys_str_mv AT marjatiilikainen faileddiaspora