Date of Graduation
1999
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
World Languages, Literatures and Linguistics
Committee Chair
Deborah Janson
Committee Member
Johan Seynnaeve
Committee Member
Jürgen E. Schlunk
Abstract
Eva Demski and Ika Hügel-Marshall are two contemporary women writers whose works contribute significantly to the Afro-German culture. Demski is a “white” German author who depicts in her novel the life of an Afro-German woman, Afra, as well as the life of her “white” daughter, Nivea. Hügel-Marshall, who was born in 1947 as the daughter of a German mother and an African-American father, depicts in her autobiography her own development from object to subject. This thesis demonstrates that both authors encourage a development of critical consciousness by creating written evidence of a shared Afro-German identity and by expressing the problems and pain of Afro-German women. Their works provide minority readers with opportunities to heal similar wounds and thus construct a positive self-concept. Additionally, they encourage self-reflective “white” Germans to re-evaluate their attitudes toward AfroGermans and to help initiate changes that will improve the Afro-German public image.
Recommended Citation
Knebel, Maren, "Developing critical consciousness: Representations of race and gender in two Afro-German works." (1999). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 10437.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/10437