The spaces of diaspora’s revitalization: Transregions, infrastructure and urbanism

Abstract

This paper assesses the concept of diaspora with the aim of revitalizing its geographical and spatial complexity. It examines contributions made by geographers and scholars in critical area and racial/ethnic studies. It highlights three spatial formations of diaspora: (1) transregional spaces that challenge state territoriality and the boundaries of national community; (2) the infrastructures that shape diaspora through paths of connection and difference; and (3) diaspora urbanism in which new political solidarities in and across cities have emerged. It is argued that these spatial formations conceptually revitalize diaspora by providing a critique of sociospatial borders.