Description
TitleInterrogating diasporic identity and media
Date Created2015
Other Date2015-10 (degree)
Extent1 online resource (xi, 424 p. : ill.)
DescriptionThis dissertation examines how the distribution, consumption, and interpretation of “Nollywood” contribute to identity among African-Americans, Africans, and Afro-Caribbeans who live, work, or socialize in Newark, New Jersey. It also shows how the influx of movies from Nigeria and Ghana changes the media landscape of a city that has a place identity of being a “black city.” As well, this research provides a glimpse into the gentrification that is occurring in Newark, where longtime residents and small businesses in downtown Newark are navigating the shifting demographics. To frame identity, I use discourse of black identities and diasporic communicative spaces to capture the discursive practices that occur in the interactions of diasporans. Employing a multi-sited observation of shops and a street vendor, and conducting unstructured and in-depth interviews of African-American, Caribbean, and African Newark residents, I examine how participants employ movies in varied interactions with the film industry. My dissertation shows hybrid, multiple, and sutured identities emerge through the narratives of participants and observations, but participants relinquished strict allegiances to groups when gentrification or exclusion from resources threatened their livelihood. My dissertation also reveals the following: (1) How Nollywood audiences create immaterial sites and physical locations where they engage in cultural performances to make sense of their “distinct” identities. (2) How formal circulations demonstrate trading practices transported by African and Caribbean merchants help shape commercial activities in a predominant African-American city. (3) In the non-commercial flows of Nollywood, four salient forms of circulation emerge, in which I define as borrowing, swapping, gifting and online sharing. (4) Lastly, how groups rely on private and domestic spaces to engage in interactive spectatorship where they embed themselves into the screening of films and resist bourgeoisie expectations of movie-watching conduct rooted in middle-class, dominant culture. After an introduction, (Chapter One) looks at the development of Nollywood, (Chapter Two) establishes the field site, while the conceptual framework and research design are (Chapter Three). The remaining focus on findings with (Chapter Four) looking at distribution, (Chapter Five) examining reception sites and practices, and (Chapter Six) explores interpretation of texts, with a conclusion to end. Each chapter looks at how identity is evoked in interactions of participants.
NotePh.D.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Noteby Kaia Niambi Shivers
Genretheses, ETD doctoral
Languageeng
CollectionGraduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
Statistical Profile