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SOCIAL CAPITAL AND THE MAKING OF DIASPORA: EVIDENCE FROM THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY OF JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

Studies on diaspora and their links to tourism have more recently gained attention in academic literature, and have become a major theme in tourism scholarship. There is a gap, however, in understanding the role that social capital and networks play in constructing diasporic communities and identities, which can ultimately lead to curiosity around people’s heritage and spark the desire to travel for heritage tourism and VFR reasons. The Portuguese diaspora in South Africa have roots dating back to the 15th century when European explorers first landed in the Cape. Since then, significant immigration events have occurred where the community has evolved and integrated into South African society at varying levels. There are numerous examples of the Portuguese social and economic footprint in the country but despite its significant presence, it has been for the most part under researched. The 1st São Jorge Scouts Group is an instructive case study into how Portuguese immigrants in the wake of the wars in their previous homes in Angola and Mozambique, came together to create an identifiably Portuguese social group in the context of the international Scouting movement. This paper focuses on the making of diasporic communities and the particular role of social capital and networks in the construction of Portuguese identity retained by the scouts group, and contributes to the larger discourse on immigrant integration, sense of belonging and their links to tourism. Key interviews revealed fundamental areas of relevance to the diasporic experience, including notions of identity, the role of religious institutions and a developed sense of community and belonging.