The Contemporary Denial of Racism: Insight from African Diaspora in Adichie’s Americanah

Abstract

The historical institutionalized racism, characterized by injustices and inhuman practices against the black Africans in diaspora has tremendously occupied the African diasporic discourse even as far back as the colonial era. In recent time, these practices have been superseded by a deliberate act of denial. The deeply rooted belief in white supremacy and black inferiority manifests its reality in every sphere of the American and European society which include the economy, politics, education, health care, housing, etc. This denial is mostly seen in the everyday uncalled-for attitudes that tend to expose the black African people in diaspora to health harming conditions and unfair treatment by the criminal justice systems even in this 21st century. This paper while employing the postcolonial theory examines diaspora in the light of the researcher’s perceived denial of the existence and practice of racism against the African black people within the American and European setting of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 21st century novel, Americanah. The study reveals that members of the white dominant group who deny the existence of white supremacy and privilege over the blacks maintain that policies and programs that center on race/racism promote racialized thinking. In other words, conspiratorial silence or denial of the practice is preferred by them. This study will add to scholarship on the role of writers as regards the current issues eminent in contemporary multicultural societies. Besides, the study will be invaluable to African literary scholars, students, teachers and researchers as well.