Haitian Diaspora Impact on Haitian Socio-Political and Economic Development

"There is a new perspective developing within the international community on Diasporas and their potential to assist in the development process of their country of origin. The discussion began from the realization that transnational flows of remittances from sending countries (core) to receiving countries (periphery) increasingly surpass donor contributions to developing countries. The argument further discusses different socio-economic strategies to use when diasporic communities residing in developed countries (core) are assisting their homeland (periphery). This paper will look at the Haitian Diaspora in the United States and its active transnational link to Haiti. Since the days of post-Duvalierism, the Haitian Diaspora has actively participated in the developmental process of the country. Remittances are no longer the only way in which the Haitian diaspora assists. Seemingly there has been an increase in transnational activity via political and socio-economic organizations and associations. However, the addition of the Haitian Diaspora as a major force in Haiti’s development process (as seen in the last 10 years) is uncertain. It is doubtful because the divided social structure of Haitian history, has transplanted into Haitian diasporic communities. The social construct of Haitian émigrés in the United States and their active role in politics and social-development affects the Haitian democratic and developmental process. Looking at how the Haitian Diaspora political and non-political organizations and associations operate, it becomes apparent that the fractured social class structure within the diaspora is divided by socio-economic status. Although a unified Haitian Diaspora has proven to be a strong lobby (i.e., swaying American policy and collective remittance contributions) the factions that exist beyond that have implications on sustaining the efforts taken on by the diaspora."

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

International Relations

Year

2011

Author dc:creator

• Rigueur, Sharleen

• Diaspora
• Dependency
• Haitian
• International Relations

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/51

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:cc_etds_theses-1050