Transnational Africa : Culture, Religion, and the Diaspora

This book considers the diverse journeys which Africans have made throughout human history and how they have formed distinct socio-cultural and religious diaspora communities outside of the continent of Africa. Starting from prehistoric times, the book traces the movements of Africans to the diaspora, highlighting how their evolving circumstances, persistence, and resilience in the face of oppression and marginalization resulted in the formation of unique heritage rooted in the African experience.The book traces the often unacknowledged and sometimes erased role that African epistemologies, cultural heritage, history, methodological understandings, evolutions, and revitalized forms religiosity and spirituality have played in shaping contemporary societies around the world.The book concludes by focusing specifically on the role of religion as an agent of socialization and empowerment of the African experience across the globe. Grounding its discussion in interdisciplinary pan-African ideas, this book will be of interest to researchers across the fields of African studies, history, anthropology, sociology, culture, and religion.