First published 2020
Myriam J. A. Chancy presents a fresh approach to understanding creative works by artists of African descent. She develops an interpretive method that places these works within African diasporic historical and cultural conversations. Chancy uses a transnational African diasporic perspective, working through the concept of lakou or yard space to show how identities can be transformed, acknowledged, and shared. Her process identifies key elements in texts and art that highlight African diasporic sensibilities and makes them readable. This creates opportunities for deeper understanding of African diasporic works while breaking away from the binary thinking that has shaped earlier interpretations. The result is an interpretive approach that centers on transnational connections between people of African descent. Chancy challenges existing academic work by spanning Africa, Europe, and the Americas to offer new methods for mapping the transnational relationships between African cultural creators and locations.
Genres: african-american, african-literature, 21st-century, art-history, academic, cultural-studies
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, cultural-exploration, identity-transformation
Setting: Africa, Europe, Americas
Period: 21st-century
246 pages · Kindle Edition · University of Illinois Press