A decolonial critique of diaspora identity theories and the notion of superdiversity

Abstract

Superdiversity is among the latest theories of diaspora cultural identities from the Global North inspired by the failures and limitations of multiculturalist social policies of the twentieth century. This paper addresses the question to what extent do theoretical suppositions of superdiversity constitute a genuine and radical departure from the logics of multiculturalism. The paper concludes that superdiversity suffers from the same limitations that prompted the rejection and ultimate demise of previous theories such as multiculturalism and cosmopolitanism. Like multiculturalism and other similar theories that have tried to grapple with questions of diaspora cultures and identities, superdiversity reinforces the same ideas that it purports to question and challenge - namely, the tendency to homogenize cultural and social groups, and the uncritical embrace of elitist neoliberal conceptualizations of culture and identity.