Abstract
This chapter sets the stage for the present edited volume by conceptualising the 2009 Greek economic crisis—one of the worst to hit a Western nation during peacetime—as a “critical juncture” in homeland-diaspora relations. It posits the central question for the contributors of this book: “How did the Greek crisis affect patterns of engagement between diaspora and homeland?” In this spirit, it asks whether the Greek crisis was the catalyst for new modes of interaction and how did these differ from the pre-crisis ones. In addressing this question, the chapter looks at five main themes which correspond to the different sections of this volume: (a) diaspora’s contribution to homeland reform; (b) crisis-generated emigration; (c) diasporic institutions and the state-centric model; (d) diasporic identities and transnational mobilisation; and (e) Greek comparability with other similar cases. The book covers the aforementioned topics through the presentation of original interdisciplinary material of new unpublished research. It provides a compelling case to study diaspora engagement by a Western-advanced economy and consolidated democracy facing a deep and prolonged crisis, and as such makes a significant contribution to the literature on diaspora engagement.
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Anastasakis, O., Kalantzi, F., Kamaras, A., Pratsinakis, M. (2022). Introduction: The Greek Crisis as a Critical Juncture in Homeland-Diaspora Relations. In: Anastasakis, O., Pratsinakis, M., Kalantzi, F., Kamaras, A. (eds) Diaspora Engagement in Times of Severe Economic Crisis. Migration, Diasporas and Citizenship. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97443-5_1
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