Diaspora and Hybridity

by Virinder S. Kalra

Diaspora & Hybridity deals with those theoretical issues which concern social theory and social change in the new millennium. The volume provides a refreshing, critical and illuminating analysis of concepts of diaspora and hybridity and their impact on multi-ethnic and multi-cultural societies′ - Dr Rohit Barot, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Bristol

What do we mean by ′diaspora′ and ′hybridity′? Why are they pivotal concepts in contemporary debates on race, culture and society?

This book is an exhaustive, politically inflected, assessment of the key debates on diaspora and hybridity. It relates the topics to contemporary social struggles and cultural contexts, providing the reader with a framework to evaluate and displace the key ideological arguments, theories and narratives deployed in culturalist academic circles today. The authors demonstrate how diaspora and hybridity serve as problematic tools, cutting across traditional boundaries of nations and groups, where trans-national spaces for a range of contested cultural, political and economic outcomes might arise.

Wide ranging, richly illustrated and challenging, it will be of interest to students of cultural studies, sociology, ethnicity and nationalism.

168 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2005

Reviews

[Kate Washburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, but I found a few conflicting thoughts in the book. The authors do point out in the beginning that it is not meant to be politically correct. If you are looking for a basic understanding of diaspora or hybridity, I would not suggest this one. If you already have an understanding, then it offers a stimulating read.