The empowerment of black women in afrofuturistic narratives: race, gender and sexuality

• Autores: Daniela Alicja Niemczyk
• Directores de la Tesis: Claudia Alonso Recarte (dir. tes.), Vicent Cucarella Ramon (codir. tes.)
• Lectura: En la Universitat de València ( España ) en 2025
• Idioma: inglés
• Número de páginas: 449
• Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: Carme Manuel (presid.), Francisco José Cortés Vieco (secret.), Josep Maria Armengol Carrera (voc.)
• Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Lenguas, Literaturas y Culturas, y sus Aplicaciones por la Universitat de València (Estudi General) y la Universitat Politècnica de València
• Calificación: Sobresaliente Cum Laude
• Materias:
  • Historia
    • Ciencias auxiliares de la historia
      • Filología
  • Lingüística
    • Lingüística aplicada
      • Lengua y literatura
• Enlaces
  • Tesis en acceso abierto en: RODERIC
• Resumen

  • This doctoral thesis examines Afrofuturism as a transformative cultural and literary framework that challenges hegemonic Eurocentric narratives and reimagines empowered futures for Black women. Drawing from science fiction, fantasy, African mythology, and Black diasporic traditions, Afrofuturism creates speculative spaces where Black individuals can reclaim agency, resist oppression, and envision liberated identities. Central to this study is the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality, explored through an interdisciplinary methodology combining Black feminist theory, postcolonial studies, queer theory, and cultural criticism. The research analyzes four major Afrofuturist authors—Pauline Hopkins, Jewelle Gomez, Nalo Hopkinson, and Nnedi Okorafor—whose works exemplify how speculative fiction can serve as a tool for empowerment and transformation. The study begins with a theoretical grounding of Afrofuturism, tracing its historical roots and key concepts such as meta-slavery and extrapolation. It then examines Hopkins’s Of One Blood (1902–1903) as a proto-Afrofuturist text that reclaims African ancestral heritage. Gomez’s The Gilda Stories (1991) is analyzed for its intersectional portrayal of Black queer identity and temporal resistance. Hopkinson’s short stories—including “The Glass Bottle Trick” (2000), “Something to Hitch Meat To” (2001), and “The Smile on the Face” (2004)—are explored for their use of Afro-Caribbean folklore to address gendered trauma, self-acceptance, and bodily autonomy. Finally, Okorafor’s Who Fears Death (2010) is studied as a powerful narrative of post-apocalyptic resistance and spiritual healing rooted in African futurity. Through detailed textual analysis, this thesis argues that Afrofuturism not only critiques colonial and patriarchal systems but also constructs visionary counter-narratives where Black women become central agents of resistance, survival, and creation. These works challenge genre conventions, expand the boundaries of speculative fiction, and offer radical visions of inclusion, resilience, and social justice. The findings underscore Afrofuturism’s significance as both a literary genre and a political tool for reimagining futures shaped by Black creativity, memory, and liberation.