Nostalgic Sentimentalism or Sustainable Growth? Contested Interpretations of Philanthropy in the African Diaspora
The diaspora is crucial to the development of the homeland. This is a fact embraced by Afro-Caribbean and Sub-Saharan African immigrants in the United States. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, they have sent remittances for education, health, rehabilitation after natural and human-made disasters, construction and renovation of family houses, and for the general upkeep of extended family households. The existing literature about this aspect of migration does not fully address the debates within the immigrant communities about why they give back, how they give back, the potential and impact of their giving, and the efficaciousness of modified or new approaches. My paper will examine key conversations about the real nature of philanthropy from the diaspora. Is it merely about emotional ties to a past and a homeland or is it about undertaking transnational activities that translate into outcomes that ensure collective survival and sustainable advancement for the beleaguered societies from which the members of the diasporic communities emigrated?
Keywords: Diaspora, immigrant communities, transnational activities
Dr. Violet Showers Johnson
Agnes Scott College
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Ref: S07P0038