Cultural Diversity & Diasporas (HL IB Geography)

A diaspora is community of people that have scattered across the world but maintain cultural connections of their homeland

Diasporas can develop through voluntary or forced migration

• The forced resettlement of Africans during the slave trade

• Professional and business diasporas, such as the movement of Indian doctors to the UK during the 1960s

• Cultural diasporas, such as the movement of migrants of African descent from the Caribbean

The term comes from the Greek word for 'scatter' and was first used to describe the dispersion of Jews during biblical times

The USA has many different diaspora communities, such as African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Welsh-Americans and Irish-Americans

Diasporas play a role in reshaping cultural landscapes and identities

Diasporas adopt aspects of their host countries yet maintain distinct cultural, religious, linguistic and social practices from their homeland

Diaspora communities bring advantages to their host country and country of origin, such as:

• Greater social and cultural diversity

• Transfer skills and knowledge back to their homeland

• Diaspora communities show increased recognition and respect of their homeland's culture and traditions

• Trade increases between the host country and the country of origin

• Remittances are sent between diasporas to support communities overseas

The Irish diaspora contains more than 80 million people that are scattered around the world in countries such as Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand

The USA has the second-largest Irish diaspora in the world (after the UK)

According to the 2020 US Census Bureau, those claiming Irish descent numbered over 35 million people

Irish people have migrated for centuries, but the Great Famine of the 1840s forced mass migration

Most of them migrated to North America and the UK

Most Irish Americans today are of second or third generation, but they still have a keen interest in their Irish heritage

Nearly 2 million Americans visit Ireland every year

In the US, to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Irish culture, the country becomes emerald green for a day

• Americans wear green clothes and drink green beer

• Green milkshakes, bagels and grits appear on menus

• New York City hosts the world’s largest parade, drawing around 2 million spectators to the streets

• The Chicago River, Illinois, is dyed green every March

However, these traditions were not imported from Ireland but were made in America and blue, not green, was the traditional colour associated with Ireland’s patron saint prior to the 1798 Irish Rebellion