Diasporas are nodes of cultural exchange, connecting different systems of values, beliefs and social organization. Throughout history and present, diasporas have provided important contributions to economies, politics and culture both for their home countries and for societies of residence. This volume contains case studies from different disciplines, exploring diaspora as a resource both on collective and on individual levels. Common themes are the structure and use of diaspora networks, as well as relations between different diasporas ranging from co-existence to competition or strategic co-operation, and the complex interdependence between diaspora and urbanity.

Waltraud Kokot is Professor at the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Hamburg, and director of the research project DiaspoRes - Diaspora as a Resource. Christian Giordano is Professor at the Department of Social Anthropology and Chair of Social Anthropology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Mijal Gandelsman-Trier is Lecturer at the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Hamburg, Germany and Co-Director of the research project DiaspoRes - Diaspora as a Resource.