Introduction to the Special Issue: Giving in Somali Diaspora Humanitarianism in Africa

In times of conflict and socio-natural disasters, giving to family, community, and compatriots is a long-established means of solidarity and emergency assistance in African societies. Such crisis relief spans wide ranges of geographic distances and time – from within affected communities to assistance organised by diaspora networks, reflecting patterns of care, reciprocity, and religious practice. At a time of dramatic decline in international humanitarian aid, diaspora humanitarian engagement has become even more pertinent for crisis-affected populations everywhere. While diaspora humanitarianism organised outside the African continent has received some scholarly and policy interest, emergency assistance from diaspora communities within Africa is largely overlooked in the literature.