SPACES, PLACES AND FIELDS - THE POLITICS OF WEST-AFRICAN TRADING IN NEW-YORK-CITY INFORMAL ECONOMY

This essay analyzes the political and cultural ramifications of transn ational spatial practices in New York City. Mofe specifically, it focu ses on the conflicts that resulted in tile demise of Harlem's African market in October 1994. In the transnational space of contemporary Har lem, the political, cultural, and religious intentionalities of West A fricans, African Americans, local elected officials, and local governm ent bodies are articulated in a variety of conflicting spatial practic es and ideologies that entail serious social and political consequence s. As this essay demonstrates, it is important far anthropologists to acknowledge and confront transnationalism and adapt our theoretical an d methodological orientations to it.