About Us

The Global Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism (GRFDT) is a consortium of researchers and policymakers drawn from national and international universities, institutes, and organisations. GRFDT is registered under Society Registration Act XXI of 1860, No: S-E/296/Dist South-East/2014. GRFDT is presently registered in India with members and partners spread across countries in the Gulf, Africa, US, Europe, Australia, North America and the Caribbean. GRFDT is shaping up to be the largest network of migration governance experts focusing specifically on the issues related to Migration, Diaspora and transnationalism. The GRFDT works as an academic and policy think tank by engaging national and international experts, that include academicians, practitioners, policymakers and, industry experts hailing from a broad range of areas such as migration policies, transnational linkages of development, human rights, culture, gender to mention a few.

In 2020-21, GRFDT dedicated its resources and channelled efforts to support discourse and advocate for critical action in some areas (i.e. strategies to support stranded migrants) that are particularly impacted by the migration side-effects of COVID-19. During this period, GRFDT has completed all 23 GCM Objectives Review Series webinars (September 2020- March 2021) in collaboration with other International Civil Society Organisations. Presently GRFDT is in collaboration with iDiaspora (IOM), The European Union Global Diaspora Facility (EUDiF), Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), Freedom Collaborative (Liberty Shared), Cross Regional Center for Refugees and Migrants (CCRM), International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD), Metropolis Asia- Pacific, Alianza America (AA), Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), Freedom Collaborative, and South Asian Regional Trade Union Council (SARTUC) and working on a range of issues related to research projects, academic programmes, advocacy, journalism and so on. All these programmes draw students and resource persons from all across the globe. GRFDT also conducted the People Migration Challenge Series (Round 1, 2, 3, 4) of interactive webinars in 2021. GRFDT initiated the second round of GCM review from 12 October 2021 till date. It is also covering the Certificate Programme of GCM for the new batch.

GRFDT has a range of publications i.e. peer-reviewed journal Migration and Diasporas: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Research Monograph, Policy Briefs, Newsletter (Roots and Routes). GRFDT has its own media outreach platform, The Migration News, to cover issues related to Migration and Diaspora. Also, it is in the process of launching a Digital Museum of Diaspora soon in collaboration with many other international organisations.

Besides, it has a Media outreach portal The Migration News that covers range of issues related to migration and diaspora.

It has its own educational programmes such as Certificate in  Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in collaboration with host of other international organisations and Certificate Programme in Migration Governance and Diaspora Engagement in collaboration with iDiaspora and CISAN, UNAM and ADEPT

MISSION AND VISION

Diaspora and transnationalism represent the human face of globalization. There has been significant scholarship on the subject both at empirical and theoretical levels. More recently, there has also been an emerging interest in the associated policy implications amongst various institutions, governments and development organizations. However, there have been very few attempts to synergise, connect and interlink these diaspora studies with contemporary and emerging challenges so as to further enrich comparative research and draw lessons for policy making. Today Diasporic communities are interacting with increasingly complex and volatile global socioeconomic and political systems. This poses major challenges to the existing theoretical frameworks and methodologies to understand explain and analyse diasporic issues. Moreover, disciplinary, institutional and national boundaries have often limited our endeavour to develop a holistic understanding of such complex issues.

Our continued interaction with global experts on Diaspora encouraged us to create an international platform to facilitate, cooperate, collaborate and engage with scholars, diasporic communities, development organizations, businesses and governments worldwide. This is why the Global Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism (GRFDT) was conceived and formally established in 2012. Though launched and based in India, GRFDT’s vision, objective and activities are global in nature. GRFDT is a platform to synergise and make use of the existing global intellectual, cultural and institutional expertise. In addition, the emphasis is on bridging the limitations posed by the so called boundaries.

GRFDT has started Roots and Routes, a monthly Newsletter, in order to reach out to the researchers and policy makers working on the issues of diaspora and transnationalism.

i. To generate ideas through discussions, seminars, conferences, etc. on various issues related to Diaspora and Transnationalism.

ii. To engage in and promote interdisciplinary research on Diaspora and Transnationalism.

iii. To organize advanced level training in research and undertake evaluations in Diaspora and Transnationalism.

iv. To publish periodically and/or occasionally journals, books, working papers, newsletters and policy briefs and maintain reference library and online archives, etc.

v. To promote dialogue among academicians, policy makers, industry & civil society on various emerging issues relating to Diaspora & Transnationalism.

vi. To compile and disseminate ethical issues related to research and policy on Diaspora and Transnationalism.

vii. To create and maintain a database of professionals, academicians and policy makers and facilitate research and studies on Diaspora and Transnationalism.

viii. To collaborate and work with public and private institutions and organisations focusing on issues related to Diaspora and transnationalism.

ix. Any other activity the society may identify in future that is relevant and related to Diaspora and Transnationalism.