Description
As they defy the conventional meaning of state, diasporic communities receive growing attention from policy makers around the world. However, some diasporas have shined out as a significant actors in the international scene while others have not. To present possible systematic explanation to this dissimilarity among diasporic communities in respect to success of the diaspora’s diplomatic power, this article focuses on a comparison of two cases: Turkish diaspora in Germany and the Armenian diaspora in France. Despite the Turkish diaspora’s high potential for political influence, they are not as effective actor as Armenian diaspora due to several reasons including but not limited to: their divided organizational structure, limited interest in European politics, and the current global conjuncture, the political and legal system of Germany and deficiency of formation of diaspora consciousness. Furthermore, the different extent of political opportunities in France and Germany for diasporic organizations, and harmony of interests and aims between French and Armenians invigorate the efficacy and diplomatic power of the Armenian diaspora in France. The study utilizes quantitative data including analysis of news, reports and interviews, existing statistics, surveys and reviews of the findings in the previous researches.
Keywords: Comparative Politics, Diaspora, Diplomacy, Turkish Diaspora, Armenian Diaspora
