One of the major concepts of Diaspora is the celebrative expression of a sense of this twilight zone of in-betweenness, which includes connotations of hybridity, heteroglossia, mimicry,i acculturation, cultural shock, and loss of identity as nationals. In the essay “Mimicry and Man” Bhabha quotes Lacan while unfolding mimicry as ‘an ironic compromise'ii and a ‘desire for a reformed, recognizable Other'iii: ‘The effect of mimicry is camouflage…. It is not a question of harmonizing with the background, but against a mottled background, of becoming mottled-exactly like the technique of camouflage practiced in human warfare.’iv This dappled and ‘mottled’ background of the polyphonic transnational identity is accompanied by lingering trauma of dislocations and slippages. Thus, trauma is another key concept of Diaspora. The metaphor of trauma draws attention to the ways that extremes of violence break bodies and minds, leaving indelible marks even after healing and recovery.
