Paper short abstract:

The study aims to demonstrate how multimodal forms can be used as a tool for textual instrumentation and to shed light on the shifting and fluid nature of the concepts of homeland, diaspora, and rewritten in the context of diaspora studies.

Paper long abstract:

The proposed paper aims to examine the various means through which diasporas establish connections and express their affinity for their homeland and desire for "return" - both practically and ideationally. The study will focus on how the concepts of "homeland," "diaspora," and "rewritten" are represented in different multimodal forms of musical performance and prose fiction, specifically through an analysis of Beyoncé's musical expression of "diaspora and return" in Black is King and Tomi Adeyemi's fantasy novel, Children of Blood and Bone as examples of representational modes of trauma.

The research approach draws from Cultural Studies and incorporates elements of reader-response theory, Futures Studies, and Manuel Castells' concept of "space of flows" to examine the ways in which space and technology transform the experiences of diaspora and homeland, and how these experiences shape possible, probable, and preferable futures. The study will also examine the fusion of musical genres in critical engagements with fictional works.

Overall, the study aims to demonstrate how multimodal forms can be used as a tool for textual instrumentation and to shed light on the shifting and fluid nature of the concepts of homeland, diaspora, and rewritten in the context of diaspora studies.

Keywords: Diaspora, Homeland, Rewritten, Multimodal