Date of Award
8-1-2023
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
English
First Advisor
Fox, Robert
Abstract
This dissertation examines the African science fiction genre also known as Africanfuturism. It assesses distinguishing features of the genre, highlighting connections between Africanfuturism and Afrofuturism. This study interrogates Nnedi Okorafor’s coinage and definition of Africanfuturism by exploring her critical works as well as her literary oeuvre with a view to understanding the uniqueness of the genre. A close reading of Okorafor’s texts along with other prominent Africanfuturist authors reveals that both genres are inherently different but there are points of convergence. As a result of this, I explore Pan-africanfuturism as an inclusive genre with the potential of embracing all forms of Black futures. In each chapter, I contrast Okorafor’s work with a different science fiction author to illustrate how diverse the interpretations of Africanfuturist visions are.
Access
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