The African Diaspora Research Cluster

Sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the African and African American Studies Program and the History Department.

Co-directed by Chouki Hamel chouki@asu.edu and Andrew Barnes Andrew.Barnes@asu.edu

The aim of the cluster is to study of the experience of peoples of African ancestry. The main focus is to engage interested faculty with the various debates concerning the African diaspora and its various definitions. We propose to use these discussions as a bridge into a consideration of the changing role of Africa in the global world. Our ambition is to explore ways in which migration, trans-nationalism and the nature of the diasporas studies challenge the analytical categories associated with traditional area studies.  The transnational character of the diasporas studies provide a unique opportunity to engage the broader ASU intellectual community in a conversation about the epistemological ramifications and also the pedagogical rewards associated with approaching humanistic and social scientific research investigations from the perspective we call “diaspora thinking.” Topics for consideration include social and religious formations, slavery and ethnic designations, political movements and black consciousness, black intellectuals, gender, class, and constructions of race. The research group brings together faculty members and graduate students to discuss readings and participate in debates pertaining to diasporas issues.

The readings are available at ASU's electronic reserve http://www.asu.edu/lib/access/reserves/, under my name:

El Hamel or THE AFRICAN DIASPORA RESEARCH GROUP

We meet on the third Friday of each month at 1:00 pm at the African and African American Studies conference room.