New York, New Yo
rk—Yusuf Serunkuma, a 2014-2015 Dissertation Proposal and 2015-2016 Dissertation Research Fellow of the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa program, presented his recent work on Somaliland identity and nationalism through poetics at the Africa Workshop held at Columbia University on November 16th, 2015. He presented a paper entitled, " De-Imagined Communities: History and Poetics of New Nationalism in Somaliland." He provides a short abstract for his paper below.
Using popular culture as the discursive site for examining the poetics [symbolism, performance and meaning] of nationalism and identity in Somaliland, Yusuf offers preliminary reflections on new communities building themselves against the ruins of the postcolonial state: What identities, imagined futures and histories are constructed in constructing a Somaliland that is different from Somalia. Suggesting that Somaliland reflects a de-imagination of Somalia, how should we think about de-imagination as a method of nation-building.
Discussion was held from 1:30-3:00pm in 208 Knox Hall.