Mining Operations and Marginalized Communities: Environmental Racism in Ishmael Beah’s Radiance of Tomorrow

Research article

Abstract

This article critically examines the impacts of environmental racism on the marginalized community and their environment as depicted in Ishmael Beah's novel, Radiance of Tomorrow. The novel was selected using a purposive sampling method because of its strong environmental and ecological concerns. The data were gathered using a close reading mechanism. Extracts were collected and categorized based on their thematic significance towards postcolonial ecocriticism with direct connections to the environment and ecology, and the analysis was conducted using tenets of environmental racism. Through a detailed analysis of the text, the study highlights the discriminatory treatment faced by marginalized communities in relation to ecological issues. The findings reveal the devastating consequences of mining operations on the lives of the natives, including forced displacement, human rights violations, and the destruction of the ecosystem. The study unearths the mining company's discriminatory policies that deny the natives access to basic resources and infrastructure, and it reveals the complicity of government authorities and legal systems in perpetuating these injustices. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for awareness, action, and justice to address environmental racism and promote environmental equality.