Kafkaesk™ Pronunciation: /ˌkæf.kəˈɛsk/ (kaf-ka-ESK) Part of Speech: Adjective
Definition: A term describing complex, oppressive systems that covertly use discretionary decision-making to disproportionately disadvantage Black Americans, so that two people with identical circumstances can receive different outcomes based on race. Derived from “Kafkaesque” (after Franz Kafka’s works of nightmarish bureaucracy), the altered spelling with three K’s alludes to systemic racism and references the KKK.
Example: Job applicants in a Kafkaesk™ system may face very different results from the same process, with hidden racial bias shaping who succeeds and who is denied.