Diasporas and Global Grand Challenges: Reflecting Viewpoints on Diaspora Role and Positionality

Abstract:We live in an era defined by numerous grand challenges, ranging from geopolitical tensions to climate change. Discussions on these issues, along with their associated risks and solutions, are predominantly framed at the national or regional level, emphasizing administrative and governance responses rather than global flourishing. Within these frameworks, the role of diasporas is often overlooked or narrowly instrumentalized for national, political, and economic agendas. Such partial framing risks problematic outcomes, including reinforcing ethnic othering through securitization debates or reducing diasporas to mere drivers of economic growth. This article reexamines discussions on diaspora, arguing that addressing global transboundary challenges requires reshaping the discourse to recognize diasporas as dynamic agents of change. Specifically, this article explores how diasporas can contribute to transnational sustainable development and post-conflict recovery, concluding with policy recommendations for the international community and states on effectively integrating diasporas into global governance frameworks.