Manthia Diawara
Encyclopedia
Manthia Diawara is a Mali
an writer, filmmaker, cultural theorist, scholar, and art historian. Diawara holds the distinguished title of University Professor at New York University
, where he is Director of the Institute of Afro-American Affairs.
, Mali
and received his early education in France. He later received a Ph.D. from Indiana University
in 1985. Prior to teaching at NYU, Diawara taught at the University of Pennsylvania
and the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Much of his research has been in the field of black cultural studies, though his work has differed from the traditional approach to such study formulated in Britain
in the early 1980s. Along with other notable recent scholars, Diawara has sought to incorporate consideration of the material conditions of African-Americans to provide a broader context for the study of African diasopric culture. An aspect of this formulation has been the privileging of "Blackness" in all its possible forms rather than as relevant to a single, perhaps monolithic definition of black culture.
Diawara has contributed significantly to the study of black film. In 1992, Indiana University Press
published his African Cinema: Politics & Culture and in 1993, Routledge
published a volume he edited titled Black-American Cinema. A filmmaker himself, Diawara has written and directed a number of films.
His 1998 book In Search of Africa is an account of his return to his childhood home of Guinea
and was published by Harvard University Press
.
Diawara is the editor-in-chief of Black Renaissance Noire, a journal of arts, culture, and politics dedicated to work that engages contemporary Black concerns. He serves on the advisory board of October
, and is also on the editorial collective of Public Culture
.
In 2003, Diawara released We Wont Budge: A Malaria Memoir, the title a tribute to Salif Keita
's anthemic protest song Nou Pas Bouger.
Diawara serves on the board of TransAfrica Forum
, alongside Harry Belafonte
, Danny Glover
, and Walter Mosely, which supported Barack Obama
's successful candidacy for President in 2008.
, 1987; NAACP Top of the Mountain Award, 1998.
Books (editor)
Articles http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/04/magazine/lives-the-pretender.html?scp=9&sq=manthia%20diawara&st=cse.
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
an writer, filmmaker, cultural theorist, scholar, and art historian. Diawara holds the distinguished title of University Professor at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, where he is Director of the Institute of Afro-American Affairs.
Biography
Diawara was born in BamakoBamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
, Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
and received his early education in France. He later received a Ph.D. from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1985. Prior to teaching at NYU, Diawara taught at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Much of his research has been in the field of black cultural studies, though his work has differed from the traditional approach to such study formulated in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the early 1980s. Along with other notable recent scholars, Diawara has sought to incorporate consideration of the material conditions of African-Americans to provide a broader context for the study of African diasopric culture. An aspect of this formulation has been the privileging of "Blackness" in all its possible forms rather than as relevant to a single, perhaps monolithic definition of black culture.
Diawara has contributed significantly to the study of black film. In 1992, Indiana University Press
Indiana University Press
Indiana University Press, also known as IU Press, is an academic publisher at Indiana University that specializes in the humanities and social sciences. It was founded in 1950. Its headquarters are located in Bloomington, Indiana....
published his African Cinema: Politics & Culture and in 1993, Routledge
Routledge
Routledge is a British publishing house which has operated under a succession of company names and latterly as an academic imprint. Its origins may be traced back to the 19th-century London bookseller George Routledge...
published a volume he edited titled Black-American Cinema. A filmmaker himself, Diawara has written and directed a number of films.
His 1998 book In Search of Africa is an account of his return to his childhood home of Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
and was published by Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
.
Diawara is the editor-in-chief of Black Renaissance Noire, a journal of arts, culture, and politics dedicated to work that engages contemporary Black concerns. He serves on the advisory board of October
October (journal)
October is a peer-reviewed academic journal specializing in contemporary art, criticism, and theory, published by the MIT Press.-History:...
, and is also on the editorial collective of Public Culture
Public Culture
Public Culture is a reviewed interdisciplinary academic journal of cultural studies, founded in 1988 by anthropologists Carol Breckenridge and Arjun Appadurai...
.
In 2003, Diawara released We Wont Budge: A Malaria Memoir, the title a tribute to Salif Keita
Salif Keita
Salif Keïta is an internationally recognized afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the Golden Voice of Africa, but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita...
's anthemic protest song Nou Pas Bouger.
Diawara serves on the board of TransAfrica Forum
TransAfrica Forum
TransAfrica Forum is an advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. that seeks to influence the foreign policy of the United States concerning African countries and the African diaspora.-See also:* Diaspora politics in the United States...
, alongside Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte
Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...
, Danny Glover
Danny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
, and Walter Mosely, which supported Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's successful candidacy for President in 2008.
Fellowships and Honors
Jury Member, The National Black Programming Consortium, Inc., Columbus, OH, 1992, 1989; Jury Member, The Paul Robeson Award, The Pan-African Film Festival of OuagadougouPanafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou is the largest African film festival, held biennially in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The festival is the biggest regular cultural event on the African continent and it mostly focuses on the African film and African filmmakers...
, 1987; NAACP Top of the Mountain Award, 1998.
Selected Bibliography
Books (author)Books (editor)
Articles http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/04/magazine/lives-the-pretender.html?scp=9&sq=manthia%20diawara&st=cse.
Filmography
- Sembene: the Making of African Cinema, 1994.
- Rouch in ReverseJean RouchJean Rouch was a French filmmaker and anthropologist.He is considered to be one of the founders of the cinéma vérité in France, which shared the aesthetics of the direct cinema spearheaded by Richard Leacock, D.A. Pennebaker and Albert and David Maysles...
, 1995. - In Search of Africa, 1997.
- Conakry Kas, 2003.
- Bamako Siki Kan, 2003.
- Who’s Afraid of Ngugi?Ngugi wa Thiong'oNgũgĩ wa Thiong'o is a Kenyan author, formerly working in English and now working in Gĩkũyũ. His work includes novels, plays, short stories, and essays, ranging from literary and social criticism to children's literature...
, 2006. - Masion Tropicale, 2008.