Diasporas and conflict transformation: Towards a new analytical framework

Diasporas are increasingly perceived as influential actors in contemporary conflicts as they directly or indirectly engage in peacebuilding and conflict resolution in their countries of origin and residence. Existing scholarship has well analysed what roles diasporas can play, how they mobilize towards certain goals and engage with multiple stakeholders in peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction activities. Scholars have borrowed concepts and theoretical frameworks from various disciplines to further understand the scope and capacity of diaspora influence in such processes. Yet, limited attention has been paid to how diaspora studies intersect with peace and conflict studies (PCS), particularly theories surrounding conflict transformation (CT). Recent scholarship has convincingly demonstrated that diaspora engagement is fluid, heterogeneous, and evolving. However, these advances have largely developed within diaspora studies without sustained engagement with theoretical debates in peace and conflict studies. This article addresses that gap by bringing diaspora studies into systematic dialogue with CT theory. It argues that a CT perspective provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the diverse and evolving roles of diasporas in peace and conflict settings while also demonstrating how diaspora studies can enrich CT by foregrounding transnational actors, dispersed spaces, and plural temporalities.