Transnational politics and 'The Ethics of Exile' – with Ashwini Vasanthakumar (S3 E2)

This episode explores transnational political mobilisation by migrant communities. Catherine Craven (Research Fellow on the MIGZEN project) speaks to Ashwini Vasanthakumar (Associate Professor at Queen’s University, Canada), about her recently published book The Ethics of Exile: A Political Theory of Diaspora, which explores the normative and political agency of exiles. In their conversation, Ashwini and Catherine discuss the importance of thinking of migrants and members of exile communities as powerful actors in international politics. They talk about the ways in which exiles – and diaspora communities in general – have the power to affect change, both ‘at home’ and ‘abroad’, and about the ways in which they might contribute to creating a more equal and just world. They agree that, despite the significant challenges that exiles face as they navigate complex political environments at the local, national and international level - including the risk of co-optation by powerful state and non-state actors - hope is nevertheless warranted!