OSP: Paul Gilroy - Diasporic identity

Paul Gilroy - blog task

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 170: Gilroy – Ethnicity and Postcolonial Theory. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?

Gilroy suggest that racial identities are formed by colonialization, slavery, nationalist philosophies and consumer capitalism.

2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?

Gilroy says that it was not about the "race" of the person but it was about the complexity of the skin and the historical wars that were prevalent a long time which he identified as . Also, he believes that racial differences and racial identities are the product of racial oppression

3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?

Gilroy stated that 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 opposes this because it counters his idea that race is caused by racism.

4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?

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

5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?

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?

Diasporic identities can  become trapped within a national ideology. diasporic cultural ideologies and practices exist within a national ideology based upon its social, economic and cultural integrations and as such there is a cultural difference with the diasporic identities.

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.

Diasporic communities can use the digital media to stay connected to their cultural identity. The BBC offer a great range of information about cultural identities so that

8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?

He believes that slavery started diasporic identities this is when black people where shipped around the country.

9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?

They consistently feel they are looking at themselves through the eyes of others

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.#





They challenge black women stereotypes by making three women work for NASA. A traditional stereotype would be a white man working for NASA. But the fact that three women are working for them and doing very well in NASA, tells us that women are just as good as men when it comes to knowledge.