New Diasporas
African Diasporas in the New and Old Worlds by
In the humanities, the term 'diaspora' recently emerged as a promising and powerful heuristic concept. It challenged traditional ways of thinking and invited reconsiderations of theoretical assumptions about the unfolding of cross-cultural and multi-ethnic societies, about power relations, frontiers and boundaries, about cultural transmission, communication and translation. The present collection of essays by renowned writers and scholars addresses these issues and helps to ground the ongoing debate about the African diaspora in a more solid theoretical framework. Part I is dedicated to a general discussion of the concept of African diaspora, its origins and historical development. Part II examines the complex cultural dimensions of African diasporas in relation to significant sites and figures, including the modes and modalities of creative expression from the perspective of both artists/writers and their audiences; finally, Part III focusses on the resources (collections and archives) and iconographies that are available today. As most authors argue, the African diaspora should not be seen merely as a historical phenomenon, but also as an idea or ideology and an object of representation. By exploring this new ground, the essays assembled here provide important new insights for scholars in American and African-American Studies, Cultural Studies, Ethnic Studies, and African Studies. The collection is rounded off by an annotated listing of black autobiographies.
ISBN: 9042008806Publication Date: 2004-01-01
The New African Diaspora in Vancouver by
The New African Diaspora in Vancouver documents the experiences of immigrants from countries in sub-Saharan Africa on Canada's west coast. Despite their individual national origins, many adopt new identities as 'African' and are actively engaged in creating a new, place-based 'African community.' In this study, Gillian Creese analyzes interviews with sixty-one women and men from twenty-one African countries to document the gendered and racialized processes of community-building that occur in the contexts of marginalization and exclusion as they exist in Vancouver. Creese reveals that the routine discounting of previous education by potential employers, the demeaning of African accents and bodies by society at large, cultural pressures to reshape gender relations and parenting practices, and the absence of extended families often contribute to downward mobility for immigrants. The New African Diaspora in Vancouver maps out how African immigrants negotiate these multiple dimensions of local exclusion while at the same time creating new spaces of belonging and emerging collective identity.
ISBN: 9781442611597Publication Date: 2011-08-13
The Other African Americans by
America's black population is becoming increasingly diverse and the presence of Caribbean and, especially, African immigrants continues to grow throughout the country. The Other African Americans seeks to broaden our understanding of these groups by exploring the changing intraracial dynamics among African Americans as new immigrants settle in the U.S. and become Americans. This edited volume of original research provides historical and contemporary information on African and Caribbean individuals and families, addressing particular topical areas covering the most salient issues facing these immigrants today.
ISBN: 9780742540880Publication Date: 2007-08-02
Silver and Gold by
Never before has one man embodied the history of the Panama Canal. Author Dr. Guillermo Evers Airall was born and raised in the Panama Canal Zone, later immigrated to the United States and became a US military officer. His father shared many secrets about the inequality of life during the construction of the Panama Canal due to harsh segregation. This book illustrates how silver and gold were used as metaphors to symbolize two cultures, two races of people, the marginalized and the privileged. Dr. Guillermo Evers Airall is a native of the Republic of Panama. He received a BS degree from Panama University in 1946 and his DDS from Howard University in 1953. He entered the US Army in 1953 with a commission of Lieutenant. During his military career, Airall was assigned to three overseas assignments: the Canal Zone, Germany and Thailand. Airall retired from the United States military after 21 years of dedicated service. Airall and his family settled in Willingboro, New Jersey, where he set up a private dental practice in 1976. He received many awards during his career for community service, including recognition by the Rancocas Valley Chapter of the Links, Inc. and the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington County, Inc. In 2006, at the age of 87, Airall retired from a long and rewarding dental career. He and his lovely wife, Clara moved to Durham, North Carolina. Airall remains active in the community as member of Epworth United Methodist Church and the Southwest Durham Rotary Club. In 2011, the Southwest Club honored him as Rotarian of the Year. Airall proudly continues his lifetime membership in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Beta Theta Lambda Chapter in Durham. Both Airall and his wife raised two daughters, Zoila and Angela Airall, and one son, Sheldon Airall. They are the proud and doting grandparents of three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
ISBN: 9781480906181Publication Date: 2014-07-21
