Becoming An African Diaspora In Australia

Becoming an African Diaspora in Australia extends debates on identities, cultures and notions of race and racism into new directions as it analyses the forms of interactional identities of African migrants in Australia. It de-naturalises the commonplace assumptions and imaginations about the cultures and identities of African diaspora communities, and probes the relevance and usefulness of identity markers such as country of origin, nationality, ethnicity, ethnic/heritage language and mother tongue. Current cultural frames of identity representation have so far failed to capture the complexities of everyday lived experiences of transnational individuals and groups. Therefore by drawing on fresh concepts and recent empirical evidence, this book invites the reader to revisit and rethink the vocabularies that we use to look at identity categories such as race, culture, language, ethnicity, nationality, and citizenship, and introduces a new language nesting model of diaspora identity. This book will be of great interest to all students of migration, diaspora, African and Australian studies.

I was born in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. My dad was a freedom fighter, waging war for an independent state: South Sudan. We lived in a small country town, in the deep south of Western Australia. I never knew black people could be Muslim until I met my North African friends. My mum and my dad courted illegally under the Apartheid regime. My first impression of Australia was a housing commission in the north of Tasmania. Somalis use this term, “Dhaqan Celis”. “Dhaqan” means culture and “Celis” means return. Learning to kick a football in a suburban schoolyard. Finding your feet as a young black dancer. Discovering your grandfather’s poetry. Meeting Nelson Mandela at your local church. Facing racism from those who should protect you. Dreading a visit to the hairdresser. House- hopping across the suburbs. Being too black. Not being black enough. Singing to find your soul, and then losing yourself again. Welcome to African Australia. Compiled by award-winning author Maxine Beneba Clarke, with curatorial assistance from writers Ahmed Yussuf and Magan Magan, this anthology brings together voices from the regions of Africa and the African diaspora, including the Caribbean and the Americas. Told with passion, power and poise, these are the stories of African-diaspora Australians. Contributors include Faustina Agolley, Santilla Chingaipe, Carly Findlay, Khalid Warsame, Nyadol Nyuon, Tariro Mavondo and many, many more. ‘A deeply moving and unforgettable read – there is something to learn from each page. FOUR AND A HALF STARS’ —Books+Publishing ‘A complex tapestry of stories specific in every thread and illuminating as a whole ... The wonderful strength of this anthology lies in the easily understood and the never imagined.’ —Readings ‘In the face of structural barriers to health care, education, housing and employment, the narratives in Growing Up African are tempered with stories of deep courage, hope, resilience and endurance.’ —The Conversation ‘Growing Up African in Australia is almost painfully timely. It speaks to the richness of a diaspora that is all too often deprived of its nuances ... Lively, moving, and often deeply affecting, it is an absolute must-read. FOUR AND A HALF STARS’ —The AU Review

This book brings together new research that engages with the concept of diaspora from a uniquely Australian perspective and provides a timely contribution to the development of research-informed policy, both in the Australian context and more broadly. It builds on the understanding of the complex drivers and domains of diaspora transnationalism and its implications for countries and people striving to develop human capabilities in a globally interconnected but also fractured world. The chapters showcase a wide range of diaspora experiences from culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia. This work demonstrates the usefulness of diaspora as a concept to explore the experiences of migrant and refugee communities in Australia and the Pacific and further understanding on the peacebuilding, conflict, economic, humanitarian and political engagements of diaspora communities globally. The insights and findings from the breadth of research featured shed light on broader debates about diasporas, migration and development, and transnationalism.

The New York Times reports that since 1990 more Africans have voluntarily relocated to the United States and Canada than had been forcibly brought here before the slave trade ended in 1807. The key reason for these migrations has been the collapse of social, political, economic, and educational structures in their home countries, which has driven Africans to seek security and self-realization in the West. This lively and timely collection of essays takes a look at the new immigrant experience. It traces the immigrants' progress from expatriation to arrival and covers the successes as well as problems they have encountered as they establish their lives in a new country. The contributors, most immigrants themselves, use their firsthand experiences to add clarity, honesty, and sensitivity to their discussions of the new African diaspora.

This book comprises two separate, yet related studies that examined the impact of service provision and resettlement processes on African men in Australia. Data were gathered via a national survey of 85 Australian service providers and interviews with 20 African men from Australian States to investigate the experiences of African men. A comprehensive meta-analysis was also conducted to produce the book that ties the studies together. The researcher used social constructionism andcritical theory as the dominant theoretical approaches for critically analysing experiences reported by the service providers and African men. The book argues for changes in service delivery to African men resettled in Australia in order to avert acculturation issues, family violence and relationship breakdowns. This book is essential reading for policy makers, researchers and service providers involved with African communities in Australia, for African men and their families and for Australian public interacting with people of African background. It may also be useful for new arrivals migrating from patriarchal and hierarchical societies to a more egalitarian Australia. Associate Professor Dale Bagshaw, University of South Australia.... makes a worthy contribution to knowledge in the area of refugee and African diaspora studies. In addition, the thesis contributes to the practical application of knowledge in the area of the social and cultural support of African men and their families in contexts of re-settlement in western societies such as Australia. Dr Lana Zannetinno, Flinders University - Adelaide, South Australia ....a comprehensive and well-written account of two studies carried out within the research traditions of immigration, acculturation and adaptation studies (.....) well-linked to a number of professional issues that arise during the experiences of these events and processes.Emeritus Prof John Berry, Queen's University - Ontario, Canada

This book explores the Afro-diasporic experiences of African skilled migrants in Australia. It explores research participants' experiences of migration and how these experiences inform their lives and the lives of their family. It provides theory-based arguments examining how mainstream immigration attitudes in Australia impact upon Black African migrants through the mediums of mediatised moral panics about Black criminality and acts of everyday racism that construct and enforce their 'strangerhood'. The book presents theoretical writing on alternate African diasporic experiences and identities and the changing nature of such identities. The qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews to investigate multiple aspects of the migrant experience including employment, parenting, family dynamics and overall sense of belonging. This book advances our understanding of the resilience exercised by skilled Black African migrants as they adjust to a new life in Australia, with particular implications for social work, public health and community development practices.

 Eleven African Americans, including a musician, were among the First Fleet of colonial settlers to Australia. In the 150-plus following years, African Americans visiting the region included jubilee singers, vaudevillians, sports stars and general entertainers. This book provides the only comprehensive history of more than 350 African American entertainers in Australia and New Zealand between European settlement in Australia in 1788 and the entry of the United States into World War II in 1941. Famous names covered include boxer Jack Johnson, film star Nina Mae McKinney and jazz singer Eva Taylor. Background stories provide a multidimensional view of the entertainers' time in a place very far from home.

Recent developments in both Africa and Australia have brought the two continents closer together. In Africa, a resources boom, greater political stability, and the creation of the new regional institutions have contributed to economic and human development, even if many challenges including conflict, poverty and exploitation remain. Australia has commercial and political interests in Africa and, if it wants to be a significant global actor, must engage with both Africa's challenges and its growing international influence. Since coming to power in 2007, Australian Labor governments have pursued 'new engagement' with Africa after decades of relative neglect. This book, the first study of its kind, explores the key contexts for and dimensions of contemporary Australian foreign policy towards Africa. It highlights a deepening of diplomatic and political relations, a trebling of the official aid budget to Africa, and over $50 billion of Australian-based investment in Africa's resources sector, and suggests measures to make such engagement sustainable and of mutual benefit. Contributions to the book come from academics, civil servants, diplomats and politicians.