The new world order, Diaspora Africans and the racial identity question: a historical reflection on some emerging issues

Abstract

The emergence of the New World Order (NWO) and the growing concern over the dynamics of globalization and the intensification of nationalist sentiments worldwide have rekindled interest in African Diaspora studies. This recrudescence has expectedly created the need to refocus attention on the broader concern for Africa and its people on the one hand and the nature and character of their relationship with the global community on the other. It is against this background that this article examines the trajectory of the NWO and its relationship with the experience of Diaspora Africans and the racial identity question. It argues that the emerging NWO in the context of the globalization process has created new challenges for Diaspora Africans and compounded the problems of racial prejudice and stereotype that should interest scholars of relevant disciplines. The article concludes with a call for a new Pan-African movement rooted in the concrete historical and cultural experiences and realities of the African race.

Lagos Historical Review Vol. 6, 2006: 91-117