Associative diasporas and degrees of possession

Affinity, Diaspora, Identity, Reunification, Return (Part #9)

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The intriguing question arising from different degrees of possession is what this might imply for reframing (or "refining") those considered most obvious and well-defined, namely citizenship, residence and tax obligations. These forms of possession are recognized and reinforced by definitive legal provisions, irrespective of the exceptional subtleties of multiple citizenship, residences and tax obligations -- or contested historical issues.

The followng table is suggestive of a more flexible understanding implying degrees of possession, possibly recognized through different frameworks. These variously suggest degrees of relationship.

	birth	education	residence	religion	commerce	legal	science
obligatory membership
voluntary membership (subscriber)
contract (longer-term)
subscription (shorter-term)
solidarity
support
approval
identification

With such understanding it can then be asked whether the possession of people may be strongly defined and experienced in some instances, such as a place of birth (with its legal consequences), but to a lesser degree in others, such as enthusiasm for a particular style of music. Intermediary conditions may be contractually defined, such as (long-term) membership of an association, as a client (of a lawyer), or a customer (of a computer system). The latter are indicative of a degree of both possessing and being possessed -- perhaps to be understood.

Such degrees of possession effectively define degrees of association -- corresponding to degrees of experiential affinity or resonance. These can be understood in terms of a form of "diaspora" -- of different degrees of association.

A core diaspora eliciting the strongest "bonding" might be composed of those born in a country but resident elsewhere. A looser diaspora might be exemplified by those customers using a particular computer operating system. A more extended diaspora might include those culturally identified to some degree with a distant country -- with which their relationship may well be perceived as tenuous by others having possessions or family there. Even subtler variants might include those sharing a distinct belief system -- perhaps with a focus on a mythical place, of which Jerusalem offers one tangible form.

How possessed by something is it necessary to be for resonant engagement with it to be meaningful? Who has the authority to assess this? What might be the implications?

Diasporas, in being characterized by an essentially virtual relationship to a realm, are especially significant in sustaining its wider reputation -- transcending the narrowly conventional preoccupations of governance

Cultural diasporas with a territorial focus: There is a considerable literature on diasporas understood in terms of a scattered population with a common origin in a smaller geographic area. The term may also refer to the movement of the population from its original homeland, whether by expulsion, forced resettlement, slave trade, migration, or the like -- including those seeing asylum elsewhere.

Wikipedia offers an impressive List of diasporas (some 200, many not widely recognized), together with separate discussion of European diasporas (over 30), the African diaspora, and the Asian diasporas. Many have been engendered by movements of populations subsequent to World War II, to formation of post-colonial states, ot to the end of the Cold War. They continue to be engendered by movements of economic refugees (boat people, etc) and those in quest of security. Various forms of "internal diaspora" may be recognized, notably as the result of forced resettlement of populations and ethnic groups -- especially indigenous peoples.

For the purpose of this argument, diasporas of particular interest (as case studies) are those eliciting active government interest, beyond dependence on remittances:

• Scottish diaspora and Irish diaspora, are a focus of active policy concern and study (as at the Scottish Centre for Diaspora Studies), notably with respect to issues of exodus and brain drain (Scottish Government, The Scottish Diaspora and Diaspora Strategy: Insights and Lessons from Ireland, 2009; Engaging the Scottish Diaspora: rationale, benefits and challenges. 2009; John Bryant and David Law, New Zealand?s Diaspora and Overseas-born Population. New Zealand Treasury, 2004). The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry is a project to involve communities around the world in the celebration of Scottish heritage and culture.
• Jewish diaspora
• Palestinian diaspora

The argument could of course be extended to other forms of diaspora with respect to a discipline, a faith or a strategy -- where there is a contrast between the position of the central authority or governing body and those with a looser ("less professional") affinity with their preoccupation (perhaps as "amateurs"). Many "international associations" profiled in the Yearbook of International Organizations could be considered in this light -- even specific contrast to their "intergovernmental" variants.

Right of association: Freedom of association is the right to join or leave groups of a person's own choosing, and for the group to take collective action to pursue the interests of members. It is recognized in various international conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (articles 20 and 23).

Curiously the focus of "freedom of association" is typically with regard to an organized group, such as a trade union -- itself legally constituted in some way. It may be extended to the association with groups of a more informal nature. Of more relevance to the argument here is the nature of the possible further extension of "association" to groups of an even more tenuous nature -- from an administrative or legal perspective -- possibly of psychological or conceptual nature (Universal Declaration of the Rights of Human Organization: an experimental extension of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1971). Clearly this would necessarly include kinship groups and extended families -- a preoccupation with regard to right of family reunification in debate on immigration.

Wikipedia notes the existence of diaspora populations on the internet -- with numerous web-based news portals and forum sites dedicated to specific diaspora communities, often organized on the basis of origin and current location. Companies from the emerging countries are looking at leveraging diaspora communities to enter the more mature market.

Clearly there is an even more elusive condition of "association" with respect to any belief system on a longer-term basis, or with respect to any issue about which a person may have a supportive opinion on a shorter-term basis -- as with a "movement of opinion" (reflected in "opinion surveys" and the registering of "likes"). The Tea Party movement offers one such example, as might Al-Qaida (Cultivating Global Strategic Fantasies of Choice: learnings from Islamic Al-Qaida and the Republican Tea Party movement, 2010). The argument could be extended to include the Islamic Ummah or various understandings of the Judeo-Christian community.

This argument suggests that "association" is on a continuum of experiential resonance with "opinion" and more fundamental beliefs. This generalization then points to the relevance of association to "freedom of opinion" as recognized by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

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