The evolution of the third sector during the COVID-19 pandemic: Next generation diasporic civic organizations (DCOs) among Bangladeshis in Toronto

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines the confluence of civic engagement and cyberspace by studying diasporic civic organizations (DCOs) within superdiverse and digitizing contexts. Civic engagement is crucial for DCOs, which often originate in superdiverse locales in migrant-receiving cities like Toronto. The paper explores how studying superdiverse locales provides a framework to move past ethnocentric interpretations of diasporic civic engagement and how digitization affects their organizations. The study focuses on three next-generation Bangladeshi Canadian DCOs through semi-structured interviews, digital archival analysis, and field notes. Findings show that digitization initially posed challenges due to inadequate support and resources during the early stages of the pandemic. However, digitization ultimately provided less resource-intensive interventions for a more dispersed audience. Simultaneously, unequal access to digital tools negatively impacts less-resourced, volunteer-run DCOs and their service recipients. Policymakers and service providers must find ways to support more effective and equitable digitization for DCOs originating in superdiverse locales.