The Mobilisation of Refugees. The Influence of Refugee Experiences on Diaspora Mobilisation

Abstract

This thesis seeks to get a better understanding of the impact that refugee experiences have on the mobilisation processes within refugee diaspora communities. In particular, it is an exploratory research on the possible effect that the degree of integration within the host society, has on the degree of mobilisation of collective action for the conflict in the country of origin. To this end, the research was focused on the case of the Tamil diaspora in Switzerland, its integration, economically, culturally and politically, and its commitment to the civil war and the post-war situation. The thesis shows that more research is needed to confirm the possiblity of a relation between integration and mobilisation processes.