Abstrakt: |
In simple terms, diaspora can be defined as the identity community that is formed when people move. Although the term African Diaspora seems relatively new, a number of 20th century scholars have utilized a diasporic framework to explain the commonalities among people of African descent around the world. The earliest scholars did not use the term; however, scholars post-1950 have consistently used the analytical concept when studying and describing Black communities that were dispersed from Africa and germinated in the New World. This article highlights the competing attempts at theorizing the African Diaspora from its earliest proponents to its more contemporary adherents. Finally, this article illustrates the usefulness of the multivalent concept by applying the framework to slave autobiographies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER] |