Naming, labelling and the cultural construction of the identity of persons with albinism in East, Central, and West Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID7559516
AuthorsBillian Khalayi Otundo (0000-0002-4699-8545, University of Bayreuth, corresponding author), Tsevi Dodounou (Department of French and Literature, Montmorency College, Laval, Canada)
Year2024
Pages1-16
Publication date2024-10-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAfrican Identities (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1472-5843 • E-ISSN: 1472-5851
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14725843.2024.2415591
OpenAlexW4403699419
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited20

Names and labels attributed to persons with albinism (PWA) in East, Central, and West Africa, reflect deeply rooted cultural beliefs, superstitions, and etiological and historical narratives. In these regions, the identity of the black PWA differs by his/her black/white duality – Black but not black, white but not White. Using Labelling and Symbolic Interactionism frameworks, we address three questions: (i) How are PWA named and labelled across East, Central, and West Africa? (ii) How can we categorise the predominant names and labels? (iii) How do these names and labels reflect socio-cultural conceptions, affect behaviour towards PWA, and contribute to the external construction of the identity of PWA? Principal categories emerge: supernatural affiliation, pigmentation, association with economic capital, vegetal and earth affiliations, zoosemic metaphors, and ambiguous/undetermined labels. These categories reflect cultural sentiments ranging from adulation to ostracisation, influencing social behaviour and identity construction. While some cultures regard PWA as celestial entities, others link them to curses or tragedy. Labels that commodify PWA render them targets for exploitation and violence, while vegetal, zoosemic, and ambiguous terminology contribute to alienation and identity crisis. This research demonstrates how cultural constructs of identity through language reinforce stigma and prejudice against PWA, worsening their social marginalisation

Aesthetics · Albinism · Art · Biology · Criminology · Ethnology · Geography · Labelling · Political science · Sociology · History · Names, Identity, and Discrimination Research · Genetics

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