Beyond Solidarity: Exploring the Nexus of Diaspora Identity and Nonviolent Mobilisation

In an era of unprecedented global interconnectedness, the phenomenon of transnational mobilisation has emerged as a potent force in shaping the discourse surrounding international solidarity. Central to this discourse is the role of diaspora communities, whose members often find themselves uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between their adopted homelands and their ancestral lands. The core identity around which diasporas coalesce serves as a powerful catalyst, propelling individuals and communities towards collective action. Individual and collective identities, moulded through historical interactions with the state, play a pivotal role in determining who mobilises in the present context. This project seeks to unravel the intricate relationship between diaspora identity and the choice of mobilisation - it asks whether diaspora communities are more inclined to engage in nonviolent resistance based on the historical legacies that have shaped their mobilisation. I use a survey experiment fielded to members of the Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora living in the United Kingdom to investigate diaspora members’ willingness to mobilise nonviolently across a variety of contexts. I corroborate the findings with follow-up interviews that reveal the connection to historical legacies of conflict and mobilisation. The findings have implications for campaign dynamics and for transnational protest mobilisation.