Diasporas and Collective Remittances: From State-Driven to Unofficial Forms of Diaspora Engagement

Abstract

This article advances understandings of collective remittances practices by elaborating on the case of the Armenian diaspora in the Netherlands. It argues that the collection, management, and distribution of collective remittances are crucial aspects of how diasporic immigrant groups function. Hence, collective remittances represent a lens through which to analyze a diaspora's internal life, gender differences and tensions, relations with the origin state or homeland, and connections to other relevant institutions. Furthermore, the article brings three new insights to diaspora studies. First, it demonstrates how practices connected to the collection and sending of collective remittances reflect the internal dynamics of diasporic migrations and diaspora-homeland relations. Second, the article unpacks the concept of collective remittances itself, classifying it into three categories: collective remittances initiated from above, with a state-driven character; collective remittances organized by transnational non-state institutions, such as religious institutions and pan-diasporic organizations; and collective remittances initiated from below, organized by migrants and local networks of diaspora members. Third, this article highlights women's roles in organizing alternative forms of collective remittances, from external to official channels. The qualitative examination of collective remittances presented here supplies a new vision of collective remittances in which informal and hidden aspects, gender roles, forms of reciprocation, and creation and circulation of trust are highlighted.