Global Journeys: From Transnationalism to Diaspora

The emerging interest in diasporic studies has recently begun to permeate various academic disciplines, none more so than cultural studies. Today, there are numerous articles, books, and journals that have begun to engage in heated discussions on the importance of recognizing and understanding diaspora communities as collective transnational organizations and movements. However, sociology, the discipline out of which traditional migration theory emerged, has seemingly been more reluctant to embrace the concept of diaspora. In this article, I initiate a much needed conversation between traditional sociological migration theory and theories of diaspora emerging out of cultural studies. I look at the commonalities that exist between the two fields of study as well as points of divergence. Finally, I suggest ways in which the two fields can work together to help us gain a more nuanced understanding and appreciation of what happens when persons migrate.