ABSTRACT
Since 2007, the government of Cameroon through Cameroon-diaspora forum is seeking ways to engage the Cameroonian diaspora in an effort to help boost homeland development. Within the frame work of the diaspora-homeland engagement, this thesis looks at the contributions of Cameroonian cultural associations in Denmark with the case study of the North West cultural association of Denmark(NOWEDCA) to the development of Cameroon. The assessment of NOWEDCA homeland engagements was made possible using data obtained from members of the association and secondary data supported by the social identity, diaspora and remittance concepts. Using the social identity concept, I began by analyzing the role of cultural and place identity on the formation of Cameroonian diaspora cultural groups in Denmark and their homeland engagements. Further, the diaspora and social remittance concepts were used as an analytical lens to understand NOWEDCA’s homeland engagements in the educational, humanitarian and entrepreneurial sectors in the North west region of Cameroon, outlining the challenges faced by the association in achieving homeland projects. An overview of Cameroon government’s diaspora policies and institutional framework to engage its diaspora is evaluated.
This thesis is structured into six chapters. Chapter one introduces the thesis topic with the research problem, research questions, objectives and significance. Chapter two deals with the research background, looking at Cameroonian migration to Denmark and the formation of Cameroonian cultural association in Denmark and their common characteristics. In chapter three, I defend the research methodology I have chosen for this thesis and the choice for the case study. Chapter four looks at the theoretical frame work. Here, I discussed the diaspora and social identity theories and the social remittance concept as an analytical framework to understand NOWEDCA homeland engagements. Chapter five is the analysis where I looked at NOWEDCA homeland engagement in the domains of education, humanitarianism, entrepreneurial ship in the North west region of Cameroon and chapter six deals with finding and conclusion.