Reading Race Across Borders: Indonesian Reception of African-American Literature in a Postcolonial Frame
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt20252715Keywords:
literary reception, postcolonialism, African American literature, transnational consciousnessAbstract
Introduction: this study examines how Indonesian readers interpret racial issues in African American literature.
Objective: the research analyses patterns of reader reception using Robert Jauss’s reception theory and postcolonial perspectives from Edward Said and Homi Bhabha, focusing on how readers construct meanings related to race, identity, and power.
Method: a mixed-methods design was used. Data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by 250 university students from ten universities, followed by semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data captured general tendencies, while qualitative data explored deeper interpretive processes.
Results: quantitative findings show strong interest in African American literature. Most respondents were attracted to themes of racial inequality and cultural identity (93,6 %), cultural representations of resilience (88,4 %), and emotionally engaging narratives (79,2 %). A desire to read more works was also prominent (92,8 %). Readers responded positively to cultural diversity in the texts (85,6 %). Postcolonial awareness was evident through understanding of slavery and colonialism (88.4 %), recognition of their role in shaping identity (96,4 %), and links to ongoing structural racism (89,6 %). They also viewed literature as resistance (84,4 %) and supported non-Western perspectives (80,4 %). Transnational awareness emerged through empathy for racial struggles (95,6 %), motivation to resist injustice (70,8 %), and feelings of cross-cultural solidarity (92,4 %). Qualitative data show that readers relate racial narratives to Indonesian inequalities, use local culture to interpret power, critique Western dominance, and link global racial issues to their own lives.
Conclusions: indonesian readers use African American literature to build empathy, critical literacy, and postcolonial awareness, supporting cross-cultural understanding.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Muhd Al Hafizh, Desvalini Anwar, Winda Setiasari, Olga Rorintulus (Author)
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