Yoruba Identity and Power Politics by Ann Genova, Toyin Falola

Yorùbá culture represents a leading example of the African influence in the New World. Unique cultural practices—such as worshipping òrìsàs—brought to the New World by slaves during the transatlantic slave trade have been clearly identified as Yorùbá. Today, people of African descent looking for an alternative to Western culture and a way of connecting to Africa in the Americas have also looked to Yorùbá culture as an expression of nationalism. To understand Yorùbá culture and religion, an understanding of the historical journey of the Yorùbá is crucial. For this reason, Yorùbá studies have gained popularity throughout institutions of higher education in the United States. Within the past few decades, more universities in the United States offer students a Yorùbá studies program. Unsurprisingly, this has created a demand for contemporary and accessible works
on the Yorùbá. One of the best methods for presenting the Yorùbá has been through edited volumes, which allow for a range of perspectives and topics on the Yorùbá. But there are few such works, and herein is one of the reasons for assembling this volume on Yorùbá history and politics.