Afrofuturism and Climate Narratives: Reimagining Environmental Justice through Contemporary African Speculative Fiction

Abstract

This research examines the intersection of Afrofuturism and climate narratives within contemporary African speculative fiction, analyzing how African authors utilize speculative frameworks to reimagine environmental justice and climate futures. Through critical analysis of recent literary works and theoretical frameworks, this paper demonstrates that Afrofuturist climate narratives offer transformative perspectives on environmental crises by centering African epistemologies, indigenous knowledge systems, and alternative technological imaginaries. The study argues that these narratives challenge Western-centric climate discourse while proposing innovative solutions rooted in African cultural contexts. By examining works from authors including Nnedi Okorafor, Tade Thompson, and Wangechi Mutu, this research reveals how Afrofuturist climate fiction creates counter-narratives that address historical environmental injustices while envisioning sustainable futures. The findings suggest that Afrofuturist approaches to climate narratives provide crucial frameworks for understanding environmental justice as inherently connected to questions of colonialism, race, and technological sovereignty.