SUBJECTION OF BLACK PEOPLE TO RACIAL TRAUMA AND MASS INCARCERATION; A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE MEMOIR CHASING ME TO MY GRAVE (2021)
Keywords:
Racial Trauma, Mass Incarceration, Winfred Rembert, Chasing Me to My Grave (2021), Critical Race Theory, Systemic RacismAbstract
A Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of Chasing Me to My Grave (2021) is presented in this study. The posthumously published memoir of Winfred Rembert, to explore how Black individuals are subjected to racial trauma and mass incarceration through systemic racism embedded in dominant discourses. Using Norman Fairclough’s CDA model alongside Critical Race Theory (CRT) by Delgado, Stefancic, and Martinez, the study interrogates the linguistic and ideological structures that frame Black identity within narratives of criminality, subjugation, and psychological trauma. The analysis reveals how institutionalized white supremacy operates not only through physical oppression but also through discourse that normalizes surveillance, policing, and incarceration of Black bodies. By examining Rembert’s lived experiences and his expressive testimonies, this research highlights the deeply entrenched nature of racialized trauma and contributes to ongoing academic efforts to expose and challenge structures of racial injustice.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Umar, Muhammad Nadeem Khan, Usama Amjad (Author)
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