Diasporas in Dialogue

Diasporas in Dialogue is an indispensable guide for those leading or participating in dialogue processes, especially in ethnically diverse communities. The text offers both a theoretical and practical framework for dialogue, providing insight into the needs, assets and challenges of working in this capacity.

• The first book to offer structured processes for dialogue with refugee communities - demonstrates how diaspora communities can be engaged in dialogue that heals, reconciles and builds peace
• Relates the story of the Portland Diaspora Dialogue Project, a remarkable collaboration between university researchers and African community activists committed to helping newly arrived refugees
• Written accessibly to provide practitioners, academics, and community members with a simple and cogent account of how, step by step, the process of healing communities and re-building can begin

Published at a critical time in the face of the worldwide refugee crisis, and offers helpful frameworks and practical tools for dialogue in situations where individuals and communities are displaced

About the Authors vii

About the Partners xi

Foreword by Paula Green xiii

Foreword by Mette Brogden xvi

Preface xviii

Acknowledgments xxii

01 Diaspora Stories: Endings 1
Marie Abijuru and Rukia Mohammed

02 Diaspora Populations 6
Barbara Tint, Caroline Sarkis, Saéed Mohamed Haji, Vincent Chirimwami, and Carmina Rinker Lass

03 The Transition Framework 23
Diana Bianco, Barbara Tint, and Roland Clarke

04 Recruitment 40
Daniel Amine, Barbara Tint, and Mindy Johnston

05 Cultural Considerations 48
Caroline Sarkis, Barbara Tint, Gloria Ngezaho, Roland Clarke, and Mindy Johnston

06 Dialogue 62
Barbara Tint, Julie Koehler, Mary Lind, Vincent Chirimwami, Roland Clarke, and Mindy Johnston

07 Evaluation 131
Mary Lind and Barbara Tint

08 Implications for Policy 169
Roland Clarke and Djimet Dogo

09 Diaspora Stories: New Beginnings 172
Rukia Mohammed and Marie Abijuru

10 Closing Reflections 176
Djimet Dogo and Barbara Tint

Bibliography 184

Index 194

Barbara Tint is Professor of Conflict Resolution at Portland State University and an international trainer, consultant, and facilitator. She travels globally training groups in issues of dialogue, status and power, intercultural relations, leadership, gender dynamics, and resilience. She has published widely in multiple books and journals on these topics. She has facilitated dialogue processes with Jewish Israelis and Palestinians, mixed race groups in the US, Tamil and Sinhalese community members in Sri Lanka, white and Aboriginal Australians, mixed gender groups and with refugee communities from Africa. Diasporas in Dialogue integrates Western and traditional community modes of peace-building to provide a unique blueprint for working with diaspora populations all over the world. Communities in conflict import the conflict relationship with them when they migrate to a resettlement context, and it is therefore crucial to understand and address these issues. Documenting the landmark Diaspora Dialogue Project (DDP) from first vision to final evaluation, the text reflects the culmination of five years of work conducting needs assessment, dialogue processes, facilitator training and capacity building in refugee communities rooted in historical conflict. It presents both a theoretical and practical framework for dialogue, offering insight into the many challenges of working in this capacity, along with Dialogue Session templates, worksheets, evaluation tools and recommendations for addressing issues of recruitment and cultural congruence.