Differences within races
Gilroy states that ironically, many people seek to state the differences between races. However, the reality is that there is a lot of diversity to unpack within races themselves.
Music and modernity
In his third chapter, Gilroy argues that music is largely ignored in contemporary debates about modernity. This is ironic because it is a key form of artistic expression.
Music as communication
According to Gilroy, music is a mode of expression and a way to communicate feelings that cannot be communicated otherwise. This is ironic because music is able to express something that is otherwise unspeakable, without us truly knowing how.
Taking it seriously
When speaking about music, Gilroy states that it is ironic that some people don't take music seriously, given the "importance accorded to music in the habitus of diaspora." Here, he is suggesting that music is a key aspect of expressing the diaspora, and therefore ought to be taken seriously in an academic context.
Historical materialism irony
Gilroy argues that there is an irony in the fact that historical materialism defended the "very humanistic rationality which for many years was one of their major intellectual foes." This is ironic as we might not expect a group to defend their "enemies."
