Manthia Diawara

Manthia Diawara is a Malian-born scholar, filmmaker, and cultural theorist based in the U.S., currently holding the rank of Professor of Comparative Literature and Cinema at New York University. He serves as Director of the Institute of African American Affairs and Africana Studies Program. His work bridges postcolonial studies, African cinema analysis, and Black diasporic cultural critique.

Education: Began studies in Mali and Guinea, later pursued graduate studies in France before completing his doctorate at Indiana University (1985). Academic career includes teaching at UC Santa Barbara, University of Pennsylvania, and NYU.

Research Focus

• African and African American cultural production
• Racial politics in France and the U.S.
• Decolonial theory and pedagogy
• Cinema as political tool

Recent articles (2010-2015) explore contemporary issues like France's racial divides, visual arts resistance, and public intellectual roles in Africa. His work critiques Eurocentric academic frameworks while advocating for African-centered cultural analysis.

Founder of Black Renaissance publishing house and co-founder of TransAfrica advocacy group. Collaborated with key figures like Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and Danny Glover. Produces documentaries examining African identity (e.g., Rouch in Reverse, Bamako Sigi-Kan).

Key Projects

• Established NYU's Africana Studies Program (1992)
• Edited landmark volumes like Black American Cinema
• Authored foundational texts including African Cinema: Politics and Culture and In Search of Africa