PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

Strength of ties and amplitude/frequency of contacts with other natives (living at home and/or abroad), are generally considered the main proxy indicators of a transnational structuration of migrant groups and the principal evidences of a diaspora. Despite of this evidence, there are (at least) other three cultural and sociological conditions that make this outcomes possible or not: (i) belonging of the migrant group members to a wider transnational network, (ii) sharing a common sense of community with its members, (iii) participating with a common project that involve all the community. The paper discusses the main outputs of an on-line survey between young foreigners attendingthe University of Pisa, with the aim to investigate how "sense of community" (McMillan and Chavis, 1986), "social capital" (Van der Gaag-Snijders, 2004) and co-development orientation between members of the same ethnic groups (living in Italy or abroad), could help researcher to identify, conceptualize and measure everyday and informal transnational relationship becoming to a new definition of the concept of diaspora (Cohen, 1997; Cohen, Vertovec, 1999).