Resumen

SHEFFER, Gabriel. Who is Afraid of Diasporas and Why?. Rev. mex. cienc. polít. soc [online]. 2013, vol.58, n.219, pp.225-239. ISSN 0185-1918.

Theoretical and analytical systematic and comprehensive consideration of diasporism and diasporas is relatively recent. The first systematic analyses appeared during the 1980s so there are still significant loopholes in their research and examination, as well as in the development of an overall outlook on diasporism and diasporas. As a result, there are also obstacles to a thorough understanding of the phenomenon. After reviewing the existing literature on diasporism and diasporas it is clear that an understanding of diasporas in general and particularly of both their recent involvement in politics, terrorism, and criminal activities in the receiving country, and their cultural, social, and political contributions of the countries of origin and destination is still far from being exhaustive. With the aim of presenting a detailed account of the peculiarities of this phenomenon, this paper describes and analyses the diasporic process in its entirety, going beyond the conventional views that have significantly hindered and limited the scope of the debate on the ethno-national-religious diasporic process in general, and on the contributions or threats generated by diasporas in the receiving countries.

Palabras llave : diaspora; transnational entities; ethno-nationalism; nationalism; ethnicity; religion; diasporism.