"The Roots of Caribbean Identity has as its central elements race, place and language. The book presents a movement from a European construction of Caribbean identity towards a more Caribbean construction. The ways in which the identity of the Caribbean region and the identities of the separate islands within the region were shaped are set out in a chronological sequence, starting from the time of the European encounters with the Amerindians and finishing at the end of the nineteenth century."(extrait de la 4ème de couv.).

" This volume pulls together an interesting collection of essays on culture, ethnicity and identity. Some contributors have focused on calypso, popular music, and carnival as sites of inter- ethnic rivalry in the context of forging a national identity in a global setting. Others have examined the role of competitive elections, jobs in the public service,schools, mixed marriages and dancing as arenas of culture conflict and power quest" -- Book cover.

Lorick-Wilmot explores the complexities of Black Caribbean ethnic identity by examining the role a community-based organization plays in creating ethnic options for its first-generation Black Caribbean immigrant clients. Her case study particularly focuses on a Caribbean-identified organizationOCOs history, culture and climate, and the kinds of resources staff and community leaders provide that, ultimately, supports the maintenance of Caribbean ethnicity and Black ethnic identities and slows the rate of acculturation. Her case study points to the ways ethnic identity formations feed into the American construction of ethnic OC othersOCO that, in contradictory ways, empower some Black Caribbean immigrants but also perpetuate racial and ethnic tensions and challenges within the broader African American and Caribbean community."