PhD in Africana Studies in Philadelphia United States | University of Pennsylvania

Over the last two decades, scholars have developed two contrasting frameworks for examining the links between Africa and its global diaspora. These approaches both aim to move beyond conventional Africana Studies paradigms. The Afrocentric perspective primarily examines Africa's historical legacy, especially its ancient civilizations, while largely overlooking the Diaspora except when tracing cultural continuities with West African traditions. Conversely, the Black Atlantic model concentrates on people of African ancestry across Western societies, exploring themes of identity construction, cultural blending, and creolization processes, while paying minimal attention to the African mainland. Our educational approach neither idealizes nor disregards Africa's past and present realities. We aim to challenge existing Diaspora frameworks that predominantly focus on West Africa, Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and Brazil. While maintaining the significance of these regions, we strive to broaden Diaspora studies to encompass Spanish-speaking Latin America, East Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific.