Charting the Spaces of (Un)Location: On Theorizing Diaspora

Abstract

Reflects on experiences of diaspora in the UK that are either based on personal experience or gathered during the course of empirical research into the immigration experiences of Chinese & Filipina women who have settled in Scotland. It is suggested that simple definitions of identity, eg, black or women of color, do not capture the range of experiences & realities of diasporic women. Not only do Chinese & Filipina women generally refuse to identify themselves as black, but many Chinese women also refuse to identify themselves as Chinese, preferring to identify as a member of one ethnic community within Asia. The failure to recognize this diversity not only homogenizes cultures that are, in fact, quite distinctive, but also hides the reality that many lighter-skinned women of color pass as white & assimilate into the white community. Thus, it is suggested that the notion of black identity, which was originally developed to secure solidarity among people of color, must be jettisoned in favor of recognizing the true diversity of women of color in the UK. 53 References. D. Ryfe