Abstract
The process of migration and diaspora-formation raises sharply defined political questions. While some commentators stress the extreme marginalisation of diasporic peoples, others argue that diasporas are able to exploit possibilities opened up by increased transnational integration. This paper explores this tension, drawing on an analysis of mutual engagement and redefinition between East Timorese and non-East Timorese in Australia. The East Timorese diaspora is a forced diaspora, in the sense that it has emerged out of a process of dispossession and exile. Despite this marginalisation, East Timorese groups have had a major impact on Australian political culture. Strong linkages have been created between transnationally defined norms and nationally centred identities, and these have redefined aspects of East Timorese and Australian political culture. These redefinitions are discussed and interpreted in the light of wider debates about diasporas and global politics.
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