A Tamil Asylum Diaspora: Sri Lankan Migration, Settlement and Politics in Switzerland / Edition 1

by Christopher McDowell

Overview

During twelve years of ethno-nationalist secessionist violence in the north and east of Sri Lanka, insurrection in the south, and island-wide state repression, many Tamils were forced to seek political asylum overseas. At least 200,000 Tamils, primarily from the Jaffna Peninsula, have escaped to Europe of whom ca. 25,000 (the largest group relative to the population) have settled in Switzerland, the focus of this study. The author examines the conditions in Sri Lanka that led to the flight, the phases and technicalities of the emigration and resettlement in Switzerland. Based on anthropological fieldwork and on completely new archival material, the author not only looks at the development of the Tamil community in all its diversity but also at the impact of federal and cantonal policy and practice, at the economic situation and broader changes in Switzerland which led to demands for reforms to the country's asylum and immigration rules. In this respect, Switzerland set an example that other governments were soon to follow.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781571819178
Publisher:	Berghahn Books
Publication date:	08/01/1996
Series:	Forced Migration , #1
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.75(d)
Lexile:	1480L (what's this?)

About the Author

Christopher McDowell is Research Officer, Refugee Studies Programme, International Development Centre, University of Oxford.

Table of Contents

List of Figures
List of Maps
List of Tables
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
Glossary

PART I: INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH

Chapter 1. Introduction - Asylum Diaspora
Chapter 2. Fieldwork and Research Methods
Chapter 3. Swiss Public Opinion, Asylum Policy Reform and the Repatriation Agreement

PART II: SRI LANKA AND CONFLICT

Chapter 4. Sri Lanka - Violence, Nationalism and Migration
Chapter 5. Sri Lanka 1983 to 1991 - Conflict

PART III: TAMIL ASYLUM ENTRY INTO SWITZERLAND

Chapter 6. Switzerland's Tamil Asylum Migrant Population
Chapter 7. Early-Phase Asylum Migration 1983 to 1985
Chapter 8. Middle-Phase Asylum Migration 1986 to 1988
Chapter 9. Late-Phase Asylum Migration 1989 to 1991

PART IV: DIASPORA DIVISIONS, FORMATION AND POLITICS

Chapter 10. Immigrants and Asylum Seekers
Chapter 11. Politics in Exile: The Profits of Inertia

PART V

Chapter 12. Conclusion

Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

"... the study is strong ... the data is very well analyzed and socio-historically contextualized ... McDowell's research can not only serve as a praiseworthy example of a detailed migration study, but scholars in religious studies, anthropology and indology may take it as an example how to contextualize and to empirically substantiate one's studies on South Asian overseas communities."  · International Journal of Hindu Studies

From the Publisher

A study focusing on Sri Lankan Tamils from the Jaffna Peninsula who, due to ethno-nationalist violence and repression, sought asylum in Switzerland. McDowell (research officer, refugee studies, U. of Oxford) bases his research on a combination of anthropological fieldwork and archival material, investigating the development of the Tamil community in Switzerland, the impact of Swiss federal policy and practice on them, and the economic impact of accommodating at least 200,000 refugees. The study provides information on the Swiss people's popular opinion (opposed to reaction) and the changes made to re-shape asylum policies taking both humanitarian and economic realities into account--a methodology being adopted by other European countries. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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