Narratives of the New Diasporas. A Theoretical Approach

Abstract

This introduction offers a theoretical and thematic overview of Border Studies and Diaspora Theory to contextualize the way in which contemporary fictions of migration and exile in the 21st century has reinterpreted classic paradigms anew. Literature has played a paramount role in illustrating many of the challenges faced when attempting to narrate the experience of migration. This role is the motivation for this Special Issue as it examines the literary mechanisms employed to engage with current social, economic, and political issues and how discourses on migration and exile contest perspectives on concepts such as ‘mobility’ or ‘space’. Literature on migration, Border Studies and Diaspora Theory have as their point of departure to explore the motivations and/or consequences of human movement, be it within conflict or comfort zones. Thus, after contextualizing key concepts such as ‘the Black Atlantic’, ‘diaspora space’, ‘third scenario’, ‘necropolitics’ or ‘gore capitalism’, this introduction will focus on the different theoretical approaches developed by the authors who have contributed to this Special Issue. These will be presented in order to illustrate the evolution of academic research around Diaspora Studies. The new avenues of research that 21st-century migration has fostered bear witness to the complex and intricate phenomenon that human mobility implies. This introduction includes a detailed description of the contents of this Special Issue to lay the groundwork for the analyses of texts presented later.