“It’s the way my boat came ova”: African American women, ethnic options & ethnic moves

Abstract

ABSTRACT In a multi-year ethnographic study of African American female participants in a Caribbean cultural organization, we examined the factors associated with shifts in ethnic identities. We found that U.S. multiculturalist discourse, which links ethnicities to non-U.S. nations, impedes the expansion of ethnic identity, while diasporic discourse and embodied practices enable it. African American women used the concept of a racialized diaspora to shift the basis of ethnicity away from national origins. We introduce the concept of ethnic moves, to signal two kinds of movement, one conceptual and the other physical. Conceptual moves stretch the boundaries surrounding an ethnic category to foster a sense of inclusion in a culture that “feels close”. Physical moves, such as dance, can transform an abstract concept, such as diaspora, into a felt experience that moves beyond national boundaries and facilitates connection and a sense of belonging within diasporic communities.