The representation of multiple oppressions in Adua and Oltre Babilonia in the context of intersectionality

This thesis aims to examine Adua and Oltre Babilonia, two novels by Igiaba Scego, one of most prominent figures of postcolonial Italian literature. In this study race, gender and social identity-oriented discriminations experienced by the female black characters of the novels are discussed within the framework of intersectional theory. Through these characters, the discriminations experienced by women who witnessed the oppression of colonial and fascist regimes are analyzed with the instruments provided by intersectionality theory. In the first chapter, the terms colonialism and postcolonialism are introduced. Postcolonial literature and postcolonial Italian literature are defined. Intersectionality theory, which is the theoretical framework of this work, is investigated in the second chapter. In the next chapter Igiaba Scego's literary style is addressed and the two novels are analyzed in more details. The final chapter focuses on the analysis of two novels following the theoretical approach of intersectional theory. This thesis aims to show that the racial and gender identities of women who experienced discriminations are intersected and to demonstrate how these discriminations are embedded within a matrix of domination and still how these women use their agencies towards this matrix of domination. Another aim of this thesis is to touch upon the insufficiency of the main European feminism, to describe the suppressions of black woman individuals and to emphasize the necessity of intersectionality.