Les Visages de l'ethnicit Yoruba: Processus de Formation Identitaire Spatialis et Mobilisation Ethnique dans le Cadre de la Mondialisation

Abstract

The author proposes an analysis of the processes of identity construction and ethnic mobilisation among the Yoruba in relation to their zones of settlement. This analysis is primarily based on geography. First, it examines the reality of these processes locally, i.e. in the urban areas of Porto-Novo. Then it discusses the Nigerian case, identifying processes and patterns on a more comprehensive scale in the West African region. Finally, it focuses on Yoruba identity construction internationally, especially on the American case. In the urban areas of Porto-Novo, the spatial analysis of Yoruba identity starts with a study of the patterns of Yoruba settlement and then focuses on the territorial implications of their presence. The processes of making this space a territory and of shaping it are related to various aspects of the Yoruba, whether socio-cultural (mainly through the strong Muslim representation within the Yoruba community in Benin) or economic (their active role in cross-border trade). Internationally, the processes of identity construction and ethnic mobilisation are analyzed through the connections and similarities between the Yoruba in Nigeria and those (African-Americans considering themselves of Yoruba descent and Africans) in the United States of America. This study shows how the Yoruba ethos and the geographical/spatial contexts conversely shape Yoruba identity.