Abstract
Abstract It has been several years since the term “Afropolitanism” was coined and instigated an intense debate in both the offline and online world. Although Afropolitanism is celebrated for highlighting positive depictions of Africa, it has also been criticised for its supposedly exclusive and elitist focus. Several scholars have distinguished Afropolitanism from Pan-Africanism by framing it as the latter’s apolitical younger version. Following the discussion around these perceived differences, this paper investigates how Afropolitanism negotiates the African diaspora discourse in relation to Pan-Africanism. Thus far, the study of Afropolitanism has remained mostly limited to the field of literary and cultural studies. In order to move the discussion on this term further, this paper explores the lived experiences of twelve black Londoners with Afropolitanism and Pan-Africanism. By using the notion of “performance,” I show that Afropolitanism and Pan-Africanism are constructed and deconstructed in both diverse and overlapping ways. The narratives emerging out of this dialogue question the centrality of the Middle Passage epistemology and the tendency to essentialize experiences in the African diaspora discourse.
Highlights
It has been several years since the term “Afropolitanism” was coined and instigated an intense debate in both the offline and online world
In order to move the discussion on this term further, this paper explores the lived experiences of twelve black Londoners with Afropolitanism and Pan-Africanism
Afropolitanism allows Ama to situate her experience in the African diaspora discourse, which is exemplified in her selection of “Afropolitan memories” in one of Ama’s blog posts: –– School pack lunch placed in an ice cream tub, much to your embarrassment, whilst all your other friends had nice, child-friendly tupperware
Summary
“Is Pan-Africanism dead or alive?” This question served as the debate contention of London’s Centre of PanAfrican Thought’s first event on Friday 3, June 2016.1 On the day of the debate, a group of predominately black people gathered in a neo-classical lecture hall in London to discuss Pan-Africanism’s present state of affairs. Throughout the evening, participants addressed the difficulty of making PanAfricanism appealing to a younger generation of black youth coming of age in Britain. In order for it to remain relevant, speaker Jo Dash argued that it is necessary to move from “victimhood” to “warriorhood.” He continued that it means that “we have to try something new in order to achieve something new.”. Afropolitanism, Afrofuturism, Afrocentrism, Afropunk and Afropean among others, have gained (renewed) popularity with the advent of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media among young people of African descent (Osekre) One of those isms— Afropolitanism—generally described as
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