Diasporas are considered formations sui generis in the international community due to their embedment between the country of origin and the country of residence. Based on the numerous benefits that diasporas, by virtue of their unique positioning, represent for countries of origin in their pursuit of foreign policy objectives, an increasing number of countries (of origin) are choosing to cooperate with »their« diasporas. Through a case study of the relationship of the Republic of Slovenia as a country of origin with selected Slovenian diasporas in Germany and Sweden, the thesis examines the potential of diaspora diplomacy and the hitherto unexplored conditions for engaging diasporas in the diplomatic activities of the country of origin. The thesis shows that diasporas, as independent actors in the contemporary international community, can significantly contribute to the achievement of the foreign policy objectives of the country of origin. In this respect, the diasporans’ interest in contributing to the foreign policy objectives of their country of origin and the country of origin’s strategy for engaging with diasporans are considered indispensable factors, while the condition of diasporans’ awareness of the importance of achieving the foreign policy objectives of the country of origin is a desirable but not mandatory condition. Another key finding of the thesis is that perceiving and addressing diasporas as unitary entities is superficial and inadequate, as they are inherently heterogeneous. Finally, while the thesis identifies the conditions that enable the idea of diaspora diplomacy to be translated from theory into practice, it also establishes that there is no universal means to systematically engage diasporas in activities aimed at achieving the foreign policy objectives of countries of origin. The thesis provides reflections for the case of the Republic of Slovenia as a country of origin.
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