Date of Award
Spring 5-7-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in American Studies
Department
Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Rodolfo Aguilar
Second Advisor
Oumar Diop
Abstract
When you think of identity, what is the first thing that comes to mind? While I knew the dictionary definition, the actual meaning of identity remained unclear to me. I couldn't quite grasp the concept or how it related to me. That changed when I visited my mother’s homeland of Senegambia in December 2022. There was always a hunch that identity was connected to a sense of belonging and self-discovery, and I was surprised to realize how similar Senegambian. culture. was to my own southern upbringing. Ultimately, that provided a lot of curiosity and shaped my perspective on identity and migration.