Postcolonial Disillusionment and Migration in African Literature

This book investigates the many ways in which African literature has engaged with themes of migration and postcolonial disillusionment.

The book argues that disillusionment amongst African migrants facing discrimination abroad has become a microcosm for postcolonial disillusionment at home. Drawing on literature and film from across the four regions of Africa, the book considers the intersection of postcolonial disillusionment and migration, showing that the two are interwoven. African authors across the diaspora and at home have used themes of corruption, insecurity, coup d'état, wars, sociopolitical instability, poverty, statelessness, human rights abuses, and ethnic tensions as markers of disillusionment. In their works, displacement tends to ignite disenchantment, leading to a double experience of disillusionment and confusion, wherein it is both difficult to go back home and a challenge to remain in the diaspora.

Highlighting the interconnectedness of postcolonial instability and migratory experiences, this book will be an important read for researchers working on African literature, film, migration, and postcolonial studies.