Diaspora Engagement in Education in Kerala, India

Abstract

There is growing recognition of the potential of diaspora communities in stimulating development in their countries of origin. In recent years, migration and development literature has increasingly been examining measures to maximize the potential of diaspora contributions towards the development of the country of origin, as well as the role of governments in creating a favourable environment for diaspora engagement. From a policy perspective, diaspora communities have been largely recognized as powerful actors whose activities affect the economic, political and social dynamics of their home countries (Lahneman, 2005; Haas, 2006; Sunil, 2011). Consequently, diasporas have gained greater momentum in the political and academic arena in the recent past. The most immediate and growing form of diaspora engagement is remittances. Migration and development intersect vis-a-vis family remittances, because the money that migrants send home to their families and communities has become a key source of family incomes for several developing countries.