Diasporas in Australia

Australian Diasporas and Brain Gain: Exploring Current and Potential Transnational Linkages

Funded through an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant, this project aims to investigate the current and potential role of diasporas in Australia and the Australian Diaspora overseas in facilitating trade and investment as well as to examine the political, cultural and kinship ties with their homelands. The four diasporas to be explored include the Italian, Vietnamese, Macedonian and Tongan diasporas. The research will gather base line data common to the four diasporas in Australia focussed around four themes:

1) Economic linkages and trade
2) Identity and cultural connections
3) Family, welfare and care giving relationships
4) Political participation and representation.

The project is being implemented by Victoria University in collaboration with the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia and La Trobe University. The study is also supported by a number of project partners including the Victorian Multicultural Commission, The Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association, the Centre for Multicultural Youth, CO.AS.IT (Commissione Assistenza Italiana) and the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre and the Council for International Trade & Commerce SA Inc.

The first phase of data collection is the dissemination of an on-line survey of each of the focus diasporas. The purpose of the survey is to gain a greater understanding of how people maintain links with a homeland which represents an important part of their family background, identity or cultural heritage. The information is being collected to understand the connections between homelands and Australia so that government can be advised about how to maximise potential benefits that can flow from these ties. The research team invites people who are Tongan, Vietnamese, Italian or Macedonian to complete the survey through one of the following links.

If you are Tongan or are of Tongan background, please go to the survey through this link: http://www.cfses.com/survey-tonga-2010.htm

If you are Vietnamese or of Vietnamese background, please go to the survey through this link: http://www.cfses.com/survey-vietnam-2010.htm

If you are Italian or of Italian background, please go to the survey through this link: http://www.cfses.com/survey-italy-2010.htm

If you are Macedonian or of Macedonian background, please go to the survey through this link:
http://www.cfses.com/survey-macedonia-2010.htm

If you would like to know more about this study, contact Chief Investigator Danny Ben-Moshe on danny.ben-moshe@vu.edu.au or Senior Research Fellow Joanne Pyke at joanne.pyke@vu.edu.au.