12th Somali Studies International Association (SSIA) Congress Revisiting Somali Identities – Addressing Gender, Generation and Belonging
The Dynamics of Transnational Connections in Rebuilding Somalia
ORGANIZER
Dr Abdulkadir Osman Farah (Aalborg University) E-mail:
[email protected]
DESCRIPTION
One of the main themes of the upcoming 12th Somali Studies Congress in Helsinki, Finland in August 2015 is the theme of Rebuilding Somalia and the participation of the international community in this process. We therefore herewith propose on “transnational connections in rebuilding Somalia”.
According to Keohane and Nye, two scholars that originally dealt with the subject of transnational relations from mainly economic and political perspectives, ‘transnational relations…are contacts, coalitions and interactions across state boundaries that are not controlled by the central foreign policy organs of government’ (Keohane and Nye, 1971: 331). While governance which is linked to transnational relations “refer to theories and issues of social coordination and the nature of all patterns of rule… placing less emphasis than did their predecessors on hierarchy and the state, and more on markets and networks” (Bevir, 2011: 1). Such transnational governance conditions exist in a situation where the state functions but operates under global and transnational frames. What about if the state is fragile, weak and is not functioning as the case has been for Somalia during the past two decades?
How should we theorize and empirically study the multiple networks and organizational forms that operate within and in relation to developments in Somalia. We have for instance the UN (in its diverse transnational sub-organizations) that more or less aim to administer Somalia. We have states (like the US, UK, Turkey, Canada, Qatar, Denmark and so on...) pursuing state centric transnational interests. There are also transnational organizations like the AU and EU that engage in mainly security but occasionally humanitarian developments in the country. We have zealous transnational religious fragments who claim universal clash of civilizations against both indigenous and non-indigenous transnational actors. We have the increasingly powerful Somalia transnational Diaspora with substantial simultaneous engagement in both host and home environments. Nonetheless, both theoretically and empirically the transformative dimensions of the transnational field (Bauböck & Faist, 2010: 112) as well as the transnational apparatus of governmentality (Ferguson, 2006: 103) remains far from clear.
This panel aims to theoretically and empirically inquire the following main points:
How should we theorize the transnational relations and connections of Somalia?
Who are the main transnational actors that are significant for Somalia state formation?
What are the roles of transnational NGOs and relationship with the state(s)
How should we classify the characteristics of Somali diaspora’s transnational connections?
How should we explain Somali transnational civil society and NGO connections
Please note that papers will not necessarily be presented in the following order.
Paper no. 1
Title: Returning Home: The Somali Diaspora and Governance Author: Dr Ladan Affi (Qatar University) E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract
The diaspora, comprising about 15% of the population are making tremendous contributions to the development of Somali society by remitting about $1.5 billion annually. More recently, the diaspora have begun to return home in large numbers, with many assuming political office. This paper seeks to analyze this new engagement by the diaspora and the impact they have on a reconstituting state. It will examine the nature of their activities in governance and the ways that the diaspora affect and transform politics, society and government institutions in a fragile state.
Paper no. 2
Title: Islamic Transnational NGOs, Relief and Development in Somalia Author: Dr Afyare Elmi (Qatar University) E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract
Since the Somalia state collapsed in 1991, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have taken the liberty to fill the vacuum, particularly in the area of service delivery. This paper examines the role that Islamic NGOs play in the relief and development sectors. This research is based on interviews with some of the leaders of a number of the Islamic NGOs, which was collected during the 2011 famine. Clearly NGOs have replaced state institutions and Islamic organizations have shown that they are more effective and efficient than their competitors. In addition the paper briefly compares the efforts of transnational western and non-western NGOs in the development of Somalia.
Paper no. 3
Title: The UNSOM Mission to Somalia: The Dialectics of Post-Transitional State Building Process Author: Dr Abdulkadir Osman Farah (Aalborg University) E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract
The UNSOM operation with the backing of the US-led transnational military intervention ended in failure in mid 1990s. The mission left behind increasingly fragmented Somali society with the proliferation of militias, empowered warlordism, and emerging extremism. Since then the UN, with its diverse transnational agencies, remained more or less active in Somali political and humanitarian developments.
With the involvement of yet another security council mandated UN mission, UNPOS, Somalia formally moved from successive transitional national governments (TFGs) to the current formally and internationally recognized “sovereign” government (FG).
This paper theoretically and empirically aims to discuss and analyze the role of the current UN mission to Somalia and its impact on the process of state formation (rebuilding Somalia). The paper particularly focuses on the transnational activities and connections of the UNSOM mission and consequences. The paper also analyses the relations and perceptions of the mission by the FG, regional administrations and selected transnational civil society constituents.
Paper no. 4
Title: Innovations, Practices, and Possibilities in Diaspora-Refugee Engagement Authors: Dr Shobha Das (UNHCR) & Prof. Dianna Shandy (Macalester College) E-mail:
[email protected] &
[email protected]
Abstract The situation of Somali refugees has been protracted over 24 years. A million remain in exile outside the country and another million are displaced within Somalia. In this context, and given recent political and security improvements in Somalia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees launched the Global Initiative on Somali Refugees (GISR) to generate fresh thinking on solutions for Somali displaced populations in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Yemen. GISR engages a range of actors in this endeavour, including academics, international organisations, governments, civil society, refugees, and returnees, but one of its important partners in dialogue is the global Somali diaspora. Key to this initiative is to consider the ways in which "the diaspora" is not a monolith, but is, in fact, a nuanced population reflecting different identities based on gender, generation, resettlement locale, and place of real or imagined (in the case of diaspora-born individuals) home territory. This paper builds on existing literature on diaspora engagement in humanitarian affairs, and presents findings from research with the Somali diaspora in the UK, US and Canada looking at possible innovations in engaging the global Somali diaspora with Somali refugees in the East and Horn of Africa.
| Periode | 19 aug. 2015 |
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| Begivenhedstype | Konference |
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| Placering | Helsinki, FinlandVis på kort |
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