The Politics of Race and Diaspora

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 6
• Convenor: to be confirmed
• Assessment: a 2000-word critical review (40%) and 3000-word essay (60%)

In this module we explore the experiences of 'diaspora communities': groups who have migrated from their 'original homeland' and who now reside in 'foreign lands'. Jews, Africans, Armenians, amongst others, have been described in this way, and the term diaspora has been coined as a way of explaining their experiences over time and place.

Using a variety of examples from around the world, we will focus on politics, religion, creative production and public policy to critically examine what it means to be part of a diaspora in the twenty-first century.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• understand and critically engage with academic debates and theorising on diasporic communities
• critically analyse and assess the significance of economic, political and social processes on the formation of diasporic communities
• compare and contrast diasporic communities and identities over time and space
• understand and appreciate the cultural significance of diasporic cultural production
• critically evaluate the political and cultural activities of diasporic communities
• understand the faith-based traditions and related activism of particular diasporic communities
• critically assess the relevance of diasporic identities and cultures to contemporary debates and public policy on immigration and cohesion
• engage with public policy debates and policy process in relation to issues of race, migration and diasporic cultures.