Re-building institutions through diaspora engagement: the impact of skilled migration on domestic change

As a massive process of change, migration has an impact on several aspects of economies and societies, affecting both the countries of origin and settlement. The so-called “migration and development nexus” highlights those positive contributions under an economic and monetary perspective, looking at the effects of remittances on livelihood of individuals and communities. It is clear that diaspora and migrants do not remit just money, but a complex system of ideas, values and knowledge, which also impacts on societies. Given this premise, the research aim is to find out to what extent skilled diaspora may act an actor of institutional change, looking at specific initiatives of development where diaspora is engaged within single institutions in the countries of origin. The empirical analysis aims at an impact assessment which follows the Lipset’s concepts of Legitimacy and Effectiveness. The qualitative study object of the dissertation has allowed to have a picture of the conditions according to which diaspora’s impact on institutions is positive, also giving an insight of the “diaspora agenda” on development.