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Among the Somalis living in the diaspora, there is a growing number that are returning or are interested in returning to Somalia for personal, economic and political reasons. The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential impact the diaspora has on the future of Somalia by understanding the anticipatory assumptions held by young Somali-Canadians. This research will also examine the role that Soomaalinimo [1] (Somali identity) plays in the transnational ties that diasporic individuals keep with their country and its people.

Using an indigenist research approach, this paper explores the evolution of Soomaalinimo over time in a way that is culturally informed and decolonial. Young Somali-Canadians in two cities (Toronto and Edmonton) were given an opportunity to define Soomaalinimo for themselves and create scenarios of how it might evolve in the future for their great-grandchildren. An analysis of these scenarios reveals anticipatory assumptions that shape how they think about the future.

Three distinct futures scenarios emerged, and this research revealed three key anticipatory assumptions held by the participants: Somalia will always be home; returning to Somalia is important to maintain Soomaalinimo; and it is the responsibility of the previous generations to transmit Soomaalinimo to future generations. These anticipatory assumptions are examined and an analysis of the implications on decolonizing futures is presented.

This study expands the conceptualization of the future of a country to include the diaspora and uses the concept of anticipatory assumptions to reveal some of the potential implications of this group.

The collapse of the Somali Democratic Republic in 1991 led to a world‐wide diaspora. The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyse Somali web sites in an attempt to demonstrate how they reflect the troubled history and politics of the homeland and continue to interest, involve, bring together and divide Somalis world‐wide.

Web sites were divided into categories, and a study of the community/political category was conducted. Visits were made to the Horn of Africa and elsewhere, and face‐to‐face interviews conducted. E‐mail contact was maintained with a number of Somali webmasters.

Community/political web sites was the most numerous category, with the majority being named after a geographical area associated with a group of clan lineages or sub‐lineages. They contain news, opinion pieces and other features in Somali and on some web sites in Somali and English. While web sites usually declare that the opinions in articles are those of the authors alone, they are unlikely to publicise views with which they are not in agreement.

The paper illustrates how web sites enable members of one diaspora community to keep in touch with a political situation at home that is exceptional, and to involve themselves in its controversies, should they wish to do so. It also shows how the web site has brought a new dimension to traditional methods of feuding.

Upon reading, analyzing and participating in the classroom discussion of this case study, students will be able to use the blue ocean strategy (mainly the Strategy Canvas tool) to analyze how companies establish their products as viable and the go-to solution for consumers; perform a competitive analysis for competitive products; learn how to use data from the case, including industry trends, to predict the future market position of products; and learn how to develop strategies for new products in the market.

Abdishakur M. Afrah, who served as the Head of Business Development at Premier Bank, oversaw a substantial banking portfolio, which included Premier Wallet – the first digital wallet in Somalia. This case study outlines Premier Wallet’s journey and its transformative impact on the banking sector. Owing to the mobile wallet, consumers could, for the first time, engage in purchasing, withdrawing cash, shopping online and topping up without needing a bank account at Premier Bank. This allowed for the financial inclusion of the unbanked Somali population. This case study also highlights the Wallet Send feature, a disruptive feature that challenged the prevalent Hawala system in Somalia. This feature enabled customers to send money across 110 countries via their smartphones, facilitating direct deposits to the mobile or bank accounts of their family and friends or to cash withdrawal points nearby. Despite these advanced features, Premier Wallet struggled with broader acceptance, hindered by a mere 9% internet penetration, the absence of a national identification (ID) system and stiff competition from WAAFI, a fintech application supported by Hormuud Telecom, Somalia’s leading telecommunications company. The case study also delves into the strategic decisions Afrah had to make to position Premier Wallet as the top mobile money option for consumers in Somalia.

This case study is suited for undergraduate-level courses.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship

Kenyan khat arrives in the UK four days a week and much of it, having arrived at Heathrow from Nairobi and been cleared through customs, is delivered by van to a depot in Southall. There it is collected by distributors who speed it on to retailers. It is estimated that around seven tonnes of khat enters the UK each week.

This article aims to analyse the discourse about khat in the Swedish newspaper media and to present the concept of moral entrepreneurship as a useful analytical tool for understanding mobilisation against khat use in the Somali diaspora.

The material analysed consists of daily newspaper articles about khat published between 1986 and 2012. The method of analysis is inspired by the critical discourse analysis framework developed by Norman Fairclough. Drawing on Howard S. Becker's concept of moral entrepreneur, the article focuses on anti‐khat campaigners who speak out against khat in the media. These are often representatives from Somali voluntary associations or organisations, who sometimes employ moral entrepreneurship. The article discusses these actors' role in framing khat use as a tangible threat to the Somali community in Sweden.

When employing moral entrepreneurship, anti‐khat campaigners spread a certain type of knowledge about khat that is presented to the general public via the media. The key issues that repeatedly are of concern are how khat destroys Somali families and how the use might spread to other groups. In this manner khat use is constructed as a threat to Somali social cohesion. The knowledge produced could potentially influence policy makers to introduce stricter punishments for possession, sale and use of khat, thereby possibly increasing stigma and marginalisation in relation to the Somali immigrant community.

The literature about khat has pointed to the centrality of Somali organisations mobilising against khat in the diaspora. This article presents moral entrepreneurship as a theoretical tool to further the understanding of the mobilisation against khat and its use.

The rapid expansive growth of the Somali business community in many parts of the world has ignited varied debates on its significance and consequences. The Kenyan Somali Community are inhabitants of the northeastern region of Eastern Africa, traversing five counties, bordering the Somali and Ethiopian Republics, and include Somali immigrants from the diaspora. Interestingly, they also inhabit most cities and urban places in all parts of the country, running diverse businesses. The Kenyan Somali business community in the suburb of Eastleigh, Nairobi City County, are well-established despite numerous challenges and the impression of clandestine economic activities. However, close scrutiny of the Somali community yields a slightly different explanation – it is anchored on clan, trust, hawala (Somali money transfer system), pooled resources and social capital, derived from social networks such as family and friends, with commercial dealings rooted in trust, and shared responsibilities. In addition, the ability to access pooled financial resources at a reasonable cost, the presence of a trusted, flexible and motivated labour force coupled with a network with insider information, form key aspects of their practice. This chapter attempts to unearth positive elements of the Kenyan Somali business enterprise orientation, which, if incorporated into African business practice, presents a unique proposition for the continent's progress and prosperity.

This study aims to examine the role of returning Somali diaspora entrepreneurs on firm performance and their perceived environmental obstacles.

The paper draws on a broad literature review and covers a theoretical background to develop a research framework. It presents several propositions to be empirically tested to determine the influence of returnee entrepreneurs’ success and the challenges they face in the process.

The paper offers an overview of how Somali diaspora returnee entrepreneurs can use their resources to succeed in their business and the possible environmental uncertainties that could hinder them. The study highlights some under-researched areas and provides future research directions.

A research investigation is needed to test the proposed conceptual framework empirically. Further research is also recommended to use other predictors when investigating the perceived environmental uncertainty faced by returnee entrepreneurs.

In the diaspora entrepreneurship literature, returnee entrepreneurs in post-conflict African countries did not get enough attention. Hence, the study will contribute theoretically to the literature.

The paper provides a conceptual framework that will help understand returnee entrepreneurs in post-conflict states in Africa, paving the way for empirical studies on the topic.

Given the backdrop of a global influx of refugees and high numbers of youth under the age of 18 among counts of forcibly displaced persons, this chapter examines the literature on educational experiences among resettled refugees in Western countries. Young refugees typically face a complex set of unique challenges and adversities including disruptions in their schooling, displacement, exposure to potentially traumatic events, and resettlement stressors. Youth and parent interactions with schools are influenced by linguistic and cultural differences, which can make it difficult to communicate and advocate for young refugees' educational needs. The chapter provides a review of educational literature on resettled refugee youth. We use a socioecological framework and offer a protective and promotive lens, including psychosocial issues, to consider for school-based prevention and intervention programs. The chapter builds upon Pastoor (2015), who advocated a holistic approach with refugee students in school-based settings.

This paper aims to assess using a historical approach the challenges facing Somaliland and analyze how the Somalilanders are in the twenty-first century using the globalized financial architecture and system of wealth chains to finance their nascent state and move the debate forward on the calls for self-determination.

Research on this paper included not just a desk review but two research trips to Somaliland and over 20 interviews of politicians, government officials and the private sector and academia.

Today the global wealth chains flowing in and out of Somaliland include some complex ones which include the interactions with other members of the Somali diaspora whether they are in the USA or in Australia where money moves in and out of bank accounts in different countries finally ending up in either Dubai or Djibouti where it is finally transferred through the money transfer agencies into Hargeisa and finally withdrawn by the relative of a diaspora member. The similar wealth chains are those going between traders such as those that already maintain companies in Djibouti because of the war period and continue to live and trade there but have branches in Somaliland. There are simple direct transfers that are easily understood.

Translators had to be used, as some parliamentarians only spoke Kisomali.

No papers have been written on the global banking and finance system with specific reference to Somaliland.