Intersectional Othering: An Analysis of Intersectional Identities in Sebbar‘s Sherazade and Adichie‘s Americanah

This article examines intersectional othering in Leila Sebbar’s Sherazade and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah, exploring how race, gender, culture, and class influence the protagonists’ experiences of oppression and resistance. Sebbar’s Sherazade addresses the postcolonial intricacies of cultural alienation and Orientalist conventions in France, refusing submissive portrayals while reclaiming storytelling as a means of liberty. Adichie’s Ifemelu highlights institutional racism, cultural dislocation, and Eurocentric beauty standards as a Nigerian female immigrant in America, questioning assimilation and reaffirming her Nigerian identity. In both novels, ideas of hybridity and exclusion are explored, showing how colonial legacies and systemic differences affect intercultural situations today. Within this frame, the article highlights the perseverance of marginalized women in reclaiming their identities, opposing systematic marginalization, and amplifying their voices through the juxtaposition of these works. Sebbar and Adichie provide an effective criticism of interrelated oppressions, enhancing the worldwide dialogue on intersectionality, identity, and empowerment.