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Original Research

EXTENDING THE DISCOURSE OF INDONESIAN DIASPORA: UNPACKING THE STRATEGIC VALUES OF INDONESIAN DIASPORA TOWARDS THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF INDONESIA

ABDUL RAZAQ CANGARA

Vol 18, No 04 ( 2023 )   |  DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/6YSWM   |   Author Affiliation: Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia   |   Licensing: CC 4.0   |   Pg no: 693-702   |   Published on: 18-04-2023

Abstract

The discourse on diaspora roles among scholars and government officials has gained momentum in recent decades, confirming its important position in a country’s advancement. In the context of the Indonesian Diaspora, the Indonesian government has recognized that it has great significance as it can contribute to national development. Indonesian Diaspora, spread across five regions in the world, accounting for roughly 6-8 million diasporas where 4.7 million of them have been officially documented. Responding to such development, the Indonesian government convened the Congress of Indonesian Diaspora (CID) to cultivate its capacities to advance Indonesia's development. This article explores the strategic values of the Indonesian Diaspora and the strategic role of CID in mobilizing their capacities for Indonesia’s national development. This article uses the concept of diaspora and diaspora engagement to comprehend Indonesian Diaspora dynamics further. By employing those concepts, this article eventually argues that Indonesian diasporas have vital resources and potentialities pervading the compactness of knowledge, ideas, skills, capital, expertise, technology and global networks essential to national development. Nevertheless, they are thousands of unconnected dots with immense potential but tenuous connectivity towards their home government. This article further argues that the CID presence has assisted the Indonesian government in resolving those gaps as it has performed strategic roles in cultivating, accommodating, harmonizing, solidifying, and further mobilizing the Diaspora's capacities and resources for national development.


Keywords

Diaspora, Indonesian Diaspora, national development, Congress of Indonesian Diaspora (CID)