OSP: Paul Gilroy - Diasporic identity
Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:
1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?
Race can be seen as shared biological identities inherited from previous generations. Gilroy would argue that race makes the identity of oppressors and the oppressed seem fixed and uniform; that racial categories are caused by human interactions and as such those categories are subject to change. Around the world structures of political and social life have been constructed under race thinking. As Gilroy sees race as a result of racism, the fact that these aspects of society are based upon race thinking is problematic, and as such there is scope to evaluate the equality of representations and identities created in the media.
2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?
Here Gilroy is saying that racism isn’t caused by race, racism causes race. Racism is not caused by the clash of two or more races – racism is not a natural phenomenon. Instead, Gilroy states that racial difference and racial identities are the product of racial oppression. Racial identities are caused by historical conflicts that have brought different groups into opposition. That is not to say that there were no human differences before historical conflict between different groups; different human groups existed but their differences were not defined by ‘race’ lines.
3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?
Ethnic absolutism is a line of thinking which sees humans are part of different ethnic compartments, with race as the basis of human differentiation. Gilroy is opposed to ethnic absolutism as it is counter to his argument that racism causes race.
4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?
Gilroy’s work focuses on the concept of the African diaspora. The term diaspora is taken from the Greek ‘dispersion’ meaning ‘scattering of seeds’. It is first seen in the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy when Moses warns Jewish people that there would “be a diaspora in all kingdoms of the earth” if they did not observe God’s commandments. Diaspora means a scattering of people, from the original place to elsewhere. Diasporas are considered to comprise of members of ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious groups who live in countries to which their ancestors migrated. Identities of individuals within a diaspora are formed over time, as a result of the historical, social and cultural relationships within the group and other groups. Transnational diasporas have emerged over time due to global migration, such as the mass migrations of the 18th century to the New World. Within these groups, slaves and Europeans moved and displaced the indigenous communities. A diaspora is generally considered to exist within a
5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?
At the time, the dominant representation of black Britons was as “external and estranged from the imagined community that is the nation.” As such, to accept the role of slavery into the cultural identities of Britain would be to challenge the negative stereotype of black Britons at the time, and reverse the “external and estranged” relationship with the nation.
6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?
7) Complete the first activity on page 3: How might diasporic communities use the media to stay connected to their cultural identity? E.g. digital media - offer specific examples.
8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?
9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
10) Finally, complete the second activity on page 3: Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures and discuss how the film attempts to challenge ‘double consciousness’ and the stereotypical representation of black American women.
1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?
Race can be seen as shared biological identities inherited from previous generations. Gilroy would argue that race makes the identity of oppressors and the oppressed seem fixed and uniform; that racial categories are caused by human interactions and as such those categories are subject to change. Around the world structures of political and social life have been constructed under race thinking. As Gilroy sees race as a result of racism, the fact that these aspects of society are based upon race thinking is problematic, and as such there is scope to evaluate the equality of representations and identities created in the media.
2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?
Here Gilroy is saying that racism isn’t caused by race, racism causes race. Racism is not caused by the clash of two or more races – racism is not a natural phenomenon. Instead, Gilroy states that racial difference and racial identities are the product of racial oppression. Racial identities are caused by historical conflicts that have brought different groups into opposition. That is not to say that there were no human differences before historical conflict between different groups; different human groups existed but their differences were not defined by ‘race’ lines.
3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?
Ethnic absolutism is a line of thinking which sees humans are part of different ethnic compartments, with race as the basis of human differentiation. Gilroy is opposed to ethnic absolutism as it is counter to his argument that racism causes race.
4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?
Gilroy’s work focuses on the concept of the African diaspora. The term diaspora is taken from the Greek ‘dispersion’ meaning ‘scattering of seeds’. It is first seen in the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy when Moses warns Jewish people that there would “be a diaspora in all kingdoms of the earth” if they did not observe God’s commandments. Diaspora means a scattering of people, from the original place to elsewhere. Diasporas are considered to comprise of members of ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious groups who live in countries to which their ancestors migrated. Identities of individuals within a diaspora are formed over time, as a result of the historical, social and cultural relationships within the group and other groups. Transnational diasporas have emerged over time due to global migration, such as the mass migrations of the 18th century to the New World. Within these groups, slaves and Europeans moved and displaced the indigenous communities. A diaspora is generally considered to exist within a
5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?
At the time, the dominant representation of black Britons was as “external and estranged from the imagined community that is the nation.” As such, to accept the role of slavery into the cultural identities of Britain would be to challenge the negative stereotype of black Britons at the time, and reverse the “external and estranged” relationship with the nation.
6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?
7) Complete the first activity on page 3: How might diasporic communities use the media to stay connected to their cultural identity? E.g. digital media - offer specific examples.
8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?
9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
10) Finally, complete the second activity on page 3: Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures and discuss how the film attempts to challenge ‘double consciousness’ and the stereotypical representation of black American women.
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