not despite

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Maybo

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The diaspora experience as I intend it here is defined, not by essence or purity, but by the recognition of a necessary heterogeneity and diversity; by a conception of 'identity' which lives with and through, not despite, difference; by hybridity. (Cultural Identity and Diaspora by STUART HALL)

What does "not despite" mean in the above sentence?
 
If I reword it as "... which lives through and with difference, rather than despite difference", does that help? Do you know what "despite" means?
 
If I reword it as "... which lives through and with difference, rather than despite difference", does that help? Do you know what "despite" means?

Does "despite" mean "no matter"/"however"?
I still cannot figure out the meaning of "despite" in "rather than despite difference".
 
My mother and I get on very well because of, not despite, our differences.

Does that new context help at all?
 
My mother and I get on very well because of, not despite, our differences.

Does that new context help at all?
My mother and I get on very well not because of our differences. Am I right?
 
My mother and I get on very well despite our differences. [false]
My mother and I get on very well because of our differences. [true]
 
so there is no actual meaning for "not despite", and it is just for emphasis?
 
Diaspora define themselves more by their adaptations than by their original purity.
 
Despite our differences, my mother and I get on very well.
=even though we have differences, my mother and I get on very well.

Not despite our differences, my mother and I get on very well.
=due to our differences, my mother and I get on very well

Am I right? Not despite=due to/because of?
 
Despite our differences, my mother and I get on very well.
=even though we have differences, my mother and I get on very well.

Not despite our differences, my mother and I get on very well.
=due to our differences, my mother and I get on very well

Am I right? Not despite=due to/because of?

No, don't look at "not despite" as a conjunction.

We get on well as we see our differences as positive rather than negative qualities.
We get on well due to our differences, not despite our differences.
 
Is "it is not that despite xxx, ..." the basic form of "not despite"?
 
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