The African diaspora is defined as much by mutual misunderstanding as by solidarity. Transition 107, Blending Borders, intercepts and interprets these crossed signals: between a young Rwandan-American writer and the African-American artist she admires, between Indian and black South Africans, between gay communities and the culture at large, and, as ever, between "travelers" and "natives."
There's a lot to consider in this truly global issue, but perhaps the strongest current is a powerful critique of the American gaze-whether compassionate or colonial-as it surveys the black world. We promise that you will never feel quite as comfortable reading the New York Times on the beach at your favorite Jamaican resort.
See website and free Featured Article at http://dubois.fas.harvard.edu
"I do not want to write about Nicholas Kristof. The sheer banality of his representations of Africa paralyzes me," by Kathryn Mathers (PDF)