DIASPORA DYNAMICS: UNPACKING RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN ELEMENTAL MOVIE

This thesis explores the dynamics of diaspora and racial discrimination depicted in the animated movie “Elemental”. Utilizing a qualitative content analysis approach, the study examines the movie's narrative to identify instances of diaspora and racial discrimination experienced by the characters, particularly focusing on the Ember family from Fireland. The research draws upon postcolonial theory, the concept of diaspora, and theories of racial discrimination to frame its analysis. The study aims to classify the causes and effects of diaspora and the types of racial discrimination portrayed in the film by employs theories from R. Cohen (1997) for analyzing the causes of diaspora and theories from Alba & Nee (1997) to assess the effects. For racial discrimination, Allport‟s (1954) categorization is utilized to identify various forms of discrimination. The findings of this research as follows: (1) The diaspora of the Ember family in "Elemental" is driven by two primary factors: Natural Disaster and Economic Opportunity (2) The post-diaspora experiences of the Ember family include: Assimilation and Inter-racial Relationships (3) The Ember family faces several forms of racial discrimination in Element City: Verbal Antagonism, Avoidance and Segregation.