Panel 6 Politics of home, identity and transnationalism in the Congolese diaspora

ASAUK Panel proposal 6 (of 12)

Panel title: Politics of home, identity and transnationalism in the Congolese diaspora

This panel will be presented at the biannual conference of the ASAUK (African Studies Association in the UK) in September 2012 (Leeds, Sept 6-8). The organizers have invited the Congo Research Network to participate in this. 12 Congo related panels have been accepted.

If you wish to participate, you can join already accepted panels or you can submit a stand-alone paper. Participants should submit their paper abstracts via the ASAUK website. First, they should register as authors, then select the panel in which they want to participate, and then enter their abstract.

The following link gives you more information about registration: http://www.asauk.net/conferences/asauk12.shtml

The deadline for the submission of paper abstracts is 27 April 2012.

To attend the event without presenting a paper, contact the conference organizer David Kerr (conference@asauk.net, +44 (0)121 414 5124)

Panel convenors: Sarah DEMART, CEDEM (Center for Ethnic and Migration Studies), Liege University: sarah.demart@ulg.ac.be

David GARBIN: CRONEM (Centre for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and
Multiculturalism), University of Surrey: d.garbin@surrey.ac.uk

Marie GODIN: PhD Student University of East London and Research associate at GERME
(Group for research on Ethnic Relations, Migration and Equality), Université Libre de Bruxelles: godinmarie@googlemail.com

This panel seeks contributions exploring the intersection of diasporic identities and practices within contemporary Congolese transnational social fields. Papers shall explore the links and networks between homeland (The Democratic Republic of Congo – DRC) and diasporic
communities and how they relate to politics of ‘home’ and belongings in different contexts and configurations. A particular focus will be on analytical approaches which connect the symbolic, social and the material dimensions of the diasporic experience, but also which examine the politics and contestation of a wide range of identities in the Congolese diasporic public spheres, within different geographical contexts (in Europe, North America and beyond). The panel will attempt to locate these social and political dynamics of the Congolese diaspora against important backdrops and current events – such as the 50th anniversary of the
independence of the Congo in 2010, the general elections in 2011 or the war in the East of the country.

Themes include:

– The intersection between religion and politics in the Congolese transnational field
– Identities in diaspora, in relation to nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, class or popular culture
– Role of diaspora in the 2011 elections
– Circulation of ideas and images between the Congo and the diaspora
– Mobility of pastors, politicians and elites
– Long-distance nationalism and radical politics in the diaspora
– Transnational political participation and civic engagement
– ‘Development’ and transnationalism
– Intergenerational dynamics, youth involvement and transnational social
Fields
– Comparative exploration of diasporic contexts
– Post-colonial issues