الممارسات اللّغويّة
Volume 17, Numéro 1, Pages 732-751
2026-06-01
The Inherited Wound: Race-based And Transgenerational Trauma And The Crisis Of Second Generation Immigrants In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah
Authors : Badja Fariza . Guendouzi Amar .
Abstract
This article examines the impacts transgenerational trauma on second generation African diaspora in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Americanah (2013), focusing on Dike, the son of Ifemelu’s aunt Uju, as a case study. It explores how inherited trauma, combined with experiences of post-migration racism, shapes the psychological struggles of second-generation African diaspora individuals. Relying on Joy DeGruy’s Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS) and Maria Root’s concept of insidious trauma, the article argues that Dike’s crisis of belonging reflects an ‘invisible wound’ unique to diaspora children, produced by the intersection of inherited trauma, parental silence and the racial oppression in the host society. Besides, the article points to the potential for healing through recognizing inherited trauma, reconnecting with cultural roots, and confronting structural racism.
Keywords
Race based trauma ; Identity crisis ; Diaspora ; Transgenerational Trauma ; Post trauma ; Slave Syndrome ; Postmemory ; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ; Americanah
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