Includes index

Despite the increasing importance of the concept of "diaspora" and its widespread use in academic case studies and in the self-description of a number of minority communities and networks, the subject has received relatively little general scholarly treatment. Diasporas: Concepts, Intersections, Identities, addresses this lack by providing a comprehensive and authoritative overview of the political and cultural ideas and groups involved. Wide-ranging and interdisciplinary, the book contains examinations of major concepts and theories, including migration, ethnicity, and postcolonialism. It also provides introductions to selected key diasporas -- Jewish, Irish and African American among others -- as well as discussions of diaspora in relation to a range of important issues and processes, and explorations of new directions in research.