SOCIO-POLITICAL STRUCTURES AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF DIASPORIC IDENTITY: A STUDY OF THE EDGE OF WATER
Keywords:
Cultural Negotiation, Diaspora, Hybridity, Identity Construction, Socio-Political StructuresAbstract
Diasporic identity is not a fixed or inherent condition but a construct shaped by various socio-political structures such as migration, cultural expectations, and systemic inequalities. The present study examines The Edge of Water by Olufunke Grace Bankole in the context of diasporic identity formation. The novel portrays the experiences of displacement and cultural negotiation through its central characters, particularly Esther and Amina, whose identities are influenced by both their cultural heritage and the socio-political realities of their environment. The study argues that diasporic identity in the novel is constructed through the interaction of external structures, including social expectations, power relations, and migration dynamics, which create a sense of hybridity, alienation, and in-betweenness. A qualitative content analysis method is employed to examine the text. The theoretical framework is informed by diaspora theory and concepts of identity construction, drawing on postcolonial perspectives.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Gull Zareen, Sara Anam (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
