In the novel The Human Stain by Philip Roth, a professor at a college in the Northeast is forced into early retirement after he is accused of racism. The charge turns out to be ironic when the reader learns that the professor has a secret: he was born to African American parents and has been covering up his heritage and living as a white man his whole adult life. What is this an example of?

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This is an example of passing, where an individual from a marginalized group presents as belonging to the dominant group in order to avoid discrimination or gain advantages. The professor's decision to pass as white in order to escape the prejudice and limitations of being African American is a central theme of the novel.

In the Novel the Human Stain by Philip Roth, a Professor