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For further consideration of other ethnicity theory see Factsheet Ethnic Absolutism
102 – Representation of Ethnicity I; further application of At this point, we need to consider the term ethnicity and ethnic
ethnicity theory can be found in Factsheet 103 – absolutism. Ethnic absolutism is a line of thinking which sees humans
Representations of Ethnicity II. are part of different ethnic compartments, with race as the basis of
human differentiation. Gilroy is opposed to ethnic absolutism as it is
Paul Gilroy counter to his argument that racism causes race.
Paul Gilroy is a black British critical theorist. His work encompasses
postcolonial studies, and a consideration of cultural and race identities. Ethnicity is the identity that is shared with others in your ethnic group;
Gilroy has published work on a range of subjects, including literature, inherited from parents; passed down from generations before. Ethnicity
art, social theory and music. He has consistently argued that racial is defined by: the national and/or religious holidays an individual
identities are historically constructed – formed by colonialization, observes; the language spoken; the religion followed; the food eaten.
slavery, nationalist philosophies and consumer capitalism. This Factsheet Absolutism considers separate ethnic compartments are absolute which
will be considering his work on race identity and postcolonialism. are invisible & tightly bonded together. Compromising your ethnic
group would, for an ethnic absolutist, be against natural order and
‘Race’ [is not] the eternal cause of racism [but is] its complex, unstable risk the future existence of that ethnic group. Gilroy identifies with a
product. I should probably emphasise at this point that neither race position that is opposite to ethnic absolutist compartments.
nor racism are the exclusive historical property of the minorities who
are their primary victims. (Gilroy, 2004) Diaspora
Gilroy’s work focuses on the concept of the African diaspora. The
This quote, from After Empire: Melancholia or Convivial Culture? term diaspora is taken from the Greek ‘dispersion’ meaning ‘scattering
(2004), strikes at the heart of Gilroy’s position on race and ethnicity. of seeds’. It is first seen in the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy when
This position is opposite to what we might accept in the mainstream. Moses warns Jewish people that there would “be a diaspora in all
Here Gilroy is saying that racism isn’t caused by race, racism causes kingdoms of the earth” if they did not observe God’s commandments.
race. Racism is not caused by the clash of two or more races – racism Diaspora means a scattering of people, from the original place to
is not a natural phenomenon. Instead, Gilroy states that racial difference elsewhere. Diasporas are considered to comprise of members of
and racial identities are the product of racial oppression. Racial ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious groups who live in countries
identities are caused by historical conflicts that have brought different to which their ancestors migrated. Identities of individuals within a
groups into opposition. That is not to say that there were no human diaspora are formed over time, as a result of the historical, social and
differences before historical conflict between different groups; different cultural relationships within the group and other groups. Transnational
human groups existed but their differences were not defined by ‘race’ diasporas have emerged over time due to global migration, such as the
lines. After the Renaissance, lines of race were established as a useful mass migrations of the 18th century to the New World. Within these
way to legitimise oppression (the slave trade reflected the European groups, slaves and Europeans moved and displaced the indigenous
perspective that their ‘race’ was superior to those whom they communities. A diaspora is generally considered to exist within a
enslaved, and as such it was acceptable for less intelligent, less moral small group in scattered numbers within countries across continents.
races to be taken as slaves for Europeans).
Gilroy Classic or Centred Diaspora
The classic diaspora is the position from which Gilroy develops his
What do we mean by race? concepts of diaspora. The classic diaspora considers the originating
Race can be seen as shared biological identities place for those displaced as the original source of unity and permanence
inherited from previous generations. Gilroy for the diasporic identity. The means that the country a group have been
would argue that race makes the identity of forced to leave will always be the place that defines the cultural or ethnic
oppressors and the oppressed seem fixed and identity for those individuals. Furthermore, despite the geographical
uniform; that racial categories are caused dispersion, people will still feel connected to their origins via history
by human interactions and as such those and ancestry. Within the classic diaspora there is the belief or myth that
categories are subject to change. Around the people of diaspora can return to the place of origin. As such, the further
world structures of political and social life a group move from the place of origin, the more their culture is diluted.
have been constructed under race thinking. As http://www.phillwebb.net/ Gilroy does not see diaspora as limited to national contexts in this way.
regions/caribbean/gilroy/
Gilroy sees race as a result of racism, the fact gilroy.jpg
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Media Studies Factsheet
170. Gilroy - Ethnicity and Postcolonial Theory www.curriculum-press.co.uk
Gilroy insisted that black culture was interwoven into the wider society
Why is diaspora relevant?
and cultural identities. In seeing the African diaspora in a wider context,
Gilroy’s intervention in the diasporic thinking was an attempt to
Gilroy was challenging us to consider black culture and Britain – that
challenge those that would see black culture as the property of a
‘non-European traditional elements, mediated by Afro-America and the
single nation. His argument is most critical when considering ‘black
Caribbean, have contributed to new & distinct black culture amidst…
American cultural and political histories’ (Gilroy). Intellectuals of
Welsh, Irish, Scots and English.’ Gilroy argues that we need to take
African-American musical genres would often cite jazz and spirituals
British slavery into account & consider the influence on history, culture
(similar to gospel music) as the first truly American culture.
and identity. However, in acknowledging the British slave trade as an
essential component to British culture caused political issues in the
1980s.
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Media Factsheet
170. Gilroy - Ethnicity and Postcolonial Theory www.curriculum-press.co.uk
Activity
BBC World Service Logo
Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures. How does this and the
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1200x675/p029jc4l.jpg
poster attempt to challenge the double consciousness and
Digital diasporas and the BBC World Service diasporic identity of the black American females?
With an audience of 180 million across its radio, TV and online
services, in many regions the BBC World Service is a valued and
trusted information source. At times of political crisis or ecological
disaster, it has often been a lifeline. It no longer sees itself as a
broadcaster targeting audiences conceived of solely in national
terms or situated only in their country of origin. Changes in
technology bring new audiences and connect them in novel ways.
Over 50% of the users of BBC World Service sites in languages
other than English can now be defined as “diaspora users”. For
example, 60% of the weekly users of www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/ are not
from within the borders of Pakistan.
Visitors to www.bbc.co.uk/persian/ go to the site mainly to consume
news about Iran, but the BBC Persian service also caters for them
by providing a voice on life in the diaspora. In contrast, www.
bbc.co.uk/arabic/ generates more cultural and information traffic
between the Middle East and the Arabic diaspora on topics such
as religion, language and the ‘war on terror’. Hidden Figures (2017)
http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/styles/gallery_adv/
From Tuning In: Researching Diasporas at the BBC World public/2016/11/hidden_figures_0.jpg?itok=fNiXfMIo
Service
http://www.movingpeoplechangingplaces.org/identities-cultures/ Gilroy also argues the importance of slavery to modernity and
media-migration-diasporas.html capitalism. The modern world was built upon a normalised view of
slavery, particularly plantation slavery. Slavery was only rejected
Activity when it was revealed as incompatible with enlightened rationality and
Consider the different ways that a diaspora might maintain their capitalist production. Gilroy argues that the figure of the black slave of
community and connections using different media platforms. ‘the Negro’ provided enlightened thinkers and philosophers an insight
Find some examples where communities from across the globe into concepts of property rights, consciousness and art.
are still connected to their cultural identities through their use
of media. Start with digital media, for example Twitter’s role These areas were often defined in relation to slavery or blackness;
in quashing the #1millionshirts campaign or reaction to Kony the philosopher Hegel theorised that the master/ slave relationship
2012 (see Factsheet 99). was ‘a modernising force in that it leads both master and servant first
to self-consciousness and then to disillusion.’ Gilroy claims that the
Double consciousness inside/outside position of black people enabled writers and thinkers to
It was first W. E. B. Du Bois that posited the idea of double question the liberty offered to white North Americans and Europeans.
consciousness. Du Bois considered the psychological dilemma faced It ‘forced a special clarity of vision – a dreadful objectivity’ (Du Bois)
by African American’s in The Souls of Black Folks (1903). Here Du as a result of being black and living in the modern world with a sense
Bois theorises that this dilemma is the position of having two modes of double consciousness.
of perception:
• Seeing one’s identity from a black person’s perspective (as a The media will offer a range of representations for various groups.
thinking human being). However, these are often limited from some groups more than others.
• Seeing one’s identity from the perspective of the American state The dominant representations of black males, primarily in the US, is
(as a second-class citizen not entitled to the same rights as other either a rapper, criminal or gang member, or an athlete.
humans).
Double consciousness provides more ways of understanding the world, These representations then serve to reinforce the double consciousness
but it places a great strain on black Americans as they consistently of the black male, that he is not anything more than what he sees in
feel they are looking at themselves through the eyes of others; there the media.
is a ‘two-ness’ within the identity of the black American which is
unreconciled.
3
Media Factsheet
170. Gilroy - Ethnicity and Postcolonial Theory www.curriculum-press.co.uk
Activity
Visit lifeandtimes.com – the website for the multi-platform brand focused on music, sports and lifestyle content. The site is pitched as
conceived and curated by Shawn “JAY Z” Carter.
How does the site challenge or reinforce ideologies of double consciousness and diaspora?
Conclusion
When discussing texts and applying Gilroy’s concepts, it is important to keep his key ideas in mind: racism created race; diasporas are not limited
to national contexts; slavery is a key and influential part of the black culture and changed the diasporic identities irrevocably.
Acknowledgements: This Media Factsheet was researched and written by Katrina Calvert and published in September 2017 by Curriculum Press.. Media Studies
Factsheets may be copied free of charge by teaching staff or students, provided that their school is a registered subscriber. No part of these Factsheets may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any other form or by any other means, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISSN 1351-5136