NEB Grade XII Compulsory English Note | Language Development | Unit 19 Dediasporization: Homeland and Hostland

Unit 19

Dediasporization: Homeland and Hostland

A Simplified Version of the Text

Studies on international migration usually focus on three things. First is forward motion. This means why people move and what happens because of it. Second is the migrants themselves. They include settlers, visitors, refugees, and exiles. This also looks at how migrants fit into a new society. It studies diasporic communities, transnational spaces, and mixed identities. It also studies dual citizenship and money sent back home. Third is backward motion. This focuses on people who return to their original country and how they fit back in.

Little attention has been given to the many sides of dediasporization. Studying this can balance research on how people fully adopt a new culture.

Assimilation has mostly been studied for migrants. Researchers think returnees have fewer long-term problems because they are back in their homeland. But studying dediasporization is also important. It affects homeland and hostland policies. It is also part of globalization. Dediasporization happens in both sending and receiving countries. It helps explain homeland and hostland identities. It also shows how returnee identities are made, unmade, and remade.

Dediasporization is sometimes defined as the gathering of dispersed people when they return home. This focuses only on physical return. A broader definition sees dediasporization as a process. It can happen in three places: the homeland, the host country, or a transnational space. For people not born in the homeland, “return” means going to an ancestral territory.

For people who never gave up citizenship, dediasporization is easy. They just return as if they never left. For those who had another citizenship, the state requires formal procedures. This includes living in the homeland for a period and regaining some citizenship rights. Dediasporization involves three actors: the individual, the state, and society. All three must participate for success.

The individual must want to return. Reasons include desire to go home, generational factors, or personal growth in the host country. But the state must also approve. The state checks eligibility for citizenship and its rights. Laws or constitutions guide these procedures. Some countries make it easier if they consider diaspora members still citizens. Other countries have more complicated rules.

The level of citizenship varies. Some countries give full citizenship. Others give limited citizenship. Some give nationality but not full citizenship. People have different reasons to regain citizenship. The state decides based on law. Not all requests are approved quickly or at all. This shows the state’s importance in dediasporization.

Integration also depends on social recognition. Society must accept returnees. This is sometimes the hardest part. For example, Chinese people in the Caribbean are still seen as foreigners after 100 years. Returnees in many countries face the same problem. Their experiences abroad make them different in social status.

In Haiti, returnees are called diasporas. Russian Germans returning from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are seen as Russian by locals, even after regaining German citizenship. Returnees often form their own groups. They speak a foreign language, keep old manners, and stay connected with friends abroad. In Israel, some returnees formed a political party or special organizations.

The state plays a central role. It can allow or prevent dediasporization. If a state stops immigrants from regaining citizenship, they must remain diasporas. This is permanent exclusion. It shapes the diaspora identity. The diaspora then develops its own consciousness and interacts with the sending state.

Dediasporization also depends on the individual. The diaspora must keep two types of autonomy. First, from the host country to keep its culture. Second, from the homeland to control how it integrates. Losing this autonomy means losing diaspora status. Assimilation does not always mean dediasporization. Diaspora status can be dormant and return in persecution. Willing participation is needed for dediasporization to succeed.

Points to Remember

1. International migration has three main aspects: forward motion, migrants’ lives in new places, and backward motion.

2. Dediasporization has many sides but has not been studied enough.

3. Studying dediasporization is important because it affects policies, identities, and globalization.

4. Dediasporization is more than physical return; it can happen in homeland, hostland, or transnational spaces.

5. Dediasporization needs participation from the individual, state, and society.

6. The state plays a big role in checking eligibility and deciding citizenship rules.

7. Citizenship rights given to returnees vary by country.

8. Social recognition is also needed for full integration.

9. Returnees often face separation and form their own groups.

10. The state can allow or block dediasporization, shaping diaspora identity.

11. Dediasporization also depends on the individual’s willingness and autonomy.

Working with words

A. Find the words from the text that have the following meanings. The first letter of the word has been given.

a. sojourner- a person who resides temporarily in a place

b. transnational- existing in or involving different countries

c. remittance- a sum of money sent in payment or as a gift

d. assimilation- the process of allowing somebody to become a part of a country or community

e. misnomer- a name or a word that is not appropriate or accurate

f. confer- to give somebody an award or a particular honour or right

g. dormant- not active or growing now but able to become active

h. persecution- the act of treating somebody in a cruel and unfair way

Comprehension

A. Match the first halves of the sentences (a-g) with their second halves (i-vii). Write the numbers in the box. One has been done as an example.

a. The term assimilation has been used- iii (as an analytical tool in the study of integration of the migrants.)

b. It is essential to study the process of diasporization- v (in order to understand the description of immigration.)

c. The definition of dediasporization- vii (focuses only on the aspect of relocating migrants to their homelands.)

d. The dediasporization process for migrants who have not given up their native citizenship- vi (requires them only to return to their homeland.)

e. Some countries grant full citizenship to the returnees- iv (while some countries bar them from certain rights.)

f. It is surprising that- i(in some countries the returnees are referred as diaspora.)

g. The role of a state in dediasporization- ii (reveals its identity.)

B. Answer the following questions.

a. According to the author, what are the three aspects of migration?

According to the author, the three aspects of migration are (1) forward motion, with a focus on its causes and consequences, (2) the migrants themselves, and their incorporation in a new social formation, with a focus on the establishment of diasporic communities, transnational spaces, and bipolar identities, and which also addresses the issue of the lack of fit between state and transnation, the expansion of dual citizenship rights, and the remittances that diasporans send to the homeland, and (3) backward motion, with a focus on the returnee population and their reincorporation in the sending country.

b. Which aspect of migration is neglected by the researchers?

The study of reincorporation of returnees is neglected by the researchers.

c. What is ‘dediasporization’?

‘Dediasporization’ as the regrouping or in-gathering of dispersed people.

d. Why is the role of the state important in dediasporization?

The role of the state is important in dediasporization because a diasporan cannot dediasporize himself or herself without going through formal state procedures to reacquire one’s nationality and citizenship.

e. How is Chinese diaspora in the Caribbean different from others?

Chinese diaspora in the Caribbean is different from others as they have been living in the Caribbean for more than a century, but they are still considered by the locals as foreigners.

f. Why is it difficult to regain citizenship after returning to the homeland?

It is difficult to regain citizenship after returning to the homeland because states that do not endorse the concept that “once a subject, always a subject” have established more complicated procedures.

g. What do the German feel towards the returnees from Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan?

The German perceived as Russians in everyday interactions with German and non-German residents.

h. How are the returnees’ activities in Israel different from that of other countries?

The returnees’ activities in Israel are different from that of other countries as they reacquire full citizenship.

i. What is the role of the individual in dediasporization?

The role of the individual in dediasporization to maintain two types of autonomy: in relation to the hostland, to prevent full assimilation and a lack of cultural specificity, and in relation to the homeland, in order to be able to freely select its strategies of integration and its own criteria of identification and socialization.

Critical thinking

a. Many Nepali people are living in foreign countries now and they are known as Non-Residential Nepalis (NRNs). The NRNs are asking for dual citizenship rights. Do you think the Government of Nepal should address their demands?

The NRNs can contribute to the county’s economic development through new technology and investment while some highlight the emotional, psychological and cultural aspect that is attached to teh nation and its people rejecting the give and take relation.

The sentiments of all in the provision of dual citizenship should be addressed. The non-resident Nepalis should have a continuation of citizenship with the belief ‘once a Nepali, always a Nepali’. They can enjoy all rights except for the political rights. It will be appropriate to grant citizenship to the NRNs with economic, social and cultural rights in the spirit of the constitution.

b. The NRNs celebrate festivals like Teej, Dashain, Lhosar, Id and Holi in foreign countries. What do these celebrations signify?

A festival is an event celebrated by a group of people of community, that centers on some characteristic dimension of that community and its religion or cultures. They are deeply woven into the tapestry of the culture. They are our identity. They have a direct connection to our origin. Wherever we go or live, we can't forget our origin. Same thing goes for the NRNs. Celebrating festivals like Teej, Dashain, Lhosar, Id and Holi in foreign countries gives a sense of a homely environment for Nepalis, bringing them together. Likewise, while celebrating festivals, it helps to spread Nepali culutre and tradition in the foreign land.

Writing

a.

The number of students who migrated in 2009/10 was 26948. Migration declined in the following two years. 11912 students in 2010/11, and 10258 in 2011/12 went abroad for study. The number grew in 2012/13, and constantly rose during the periods. The number reached 63259 in 2018/19, followed by 58758 in 2017/18, 50,659 in 2016/17, and 37,037 in 2015/17 which were the lagrgest numbers indicating significant movement from Nepal to other countries for the purpose of furthure study.

Overall, the data reveals that except for two years, migration has a upward trend.

b.

The pie chart shows reasons for internal migration. People moved within or into the different parts of the country because of the various reasons.

The highest percentage of internal migrants by reasons is 54 for the reason of marriage. 18.4 % of the people moved to different parts of the country because of other family reason. 9.1 % goes for easier life style, 7.8 % for study/training. 5.5 % of the internal migrants left their place for looking for work. 2.8 % of the people migrated to other parts for other reasons. It is the lowest percentage of internal migrants.

In short, people internally migrated to different parts of the country for various reasons. Marriage is the most important factor for the internal migration.

Grammar

Would/Used to

We can use 'used to' and 'Would' to talk about repeated past actions that don't happen any more.

'Would' can be used with only with action verbs. 

'Used to' can be used with both action verbs (run, walk, jump, talk, sing, speak, eat, drink, cry, skip, pull, push, fetch, etc.), and state verbs (love, like, feel, etc).

Verbs like live and have can also be used with 'used to'.

Now, complete the sentences with 'used to' or 'would'.

a. My sister …………….have short hair when she was young.

used to

b. We …… have lunch in the same school café when I was in middle school.

used to

c. My father …………play badminton before he had backbone problem.

would

d. When I was very young, I …….(not) like milk.

didn't use to

e. She …….call me after class for a chat.

would

f. My mother ……… (not) wear glasses when she was at the university.

didn't use to wear

g. When I was a child, we …………..live in a village.

used to

h. On Sundays, My mother …………..wake up and go to the temple.

would

i. How many friends ……………..have in class ten?

used to

j. My father ……….always read me bedtime stories before bed.

would