Literary Neo-Orientalism and the Arab Uprisings: Tensions in English, French and German Language Fiction

The book investigates the commercialization of Neo-Orientalist and securitized elements in English, French, and German language fiction about the Arab Spring, and the role which the literary market plays in constructing, aestheticizing, and marketing mental boundaries between the Islamicate world and the West.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 31 July 2022
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

This book delves into a comprehensive analysis of English, French, and German language fiction surrounding the Arab Spring. Through a transnational comparison of texts authored by a diverse range of writers, both non-diasporic and diasporic, Julia Wurr explores the commercialization of Neo-Orientalist and securitized elements in short fiction and novels targeted at the Western literary market. Furthermore, she examines the significant role that the literary market plays in constructing, aestheticizing, and marketing mental boundaries between the Islamicate world and the West. By integrating approaches from the social sciences with close literary readings, this study not only identifies recurring tropes, frames, and figurations that contribute to the diffusion of Neo-Orientalist and anti-Muslim imagery into mainstream society but also demonstrates how influential frames of insecurity, precarity, affective masculinity, and terror refract the adverse psychosocial consequences of the neoliberal project into a securitization of the Other.

Introduction:
The Arab Spring, a series of political uprisings that swept across the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, marked a significant moment in global politics. The events of the Arab Spring led to the overthrow of several authoritarian regimes, the emergence of new political movements, and the re-imagining of social and political landscapes in the region. In response to these developments, a growing interest in the literature of the Arab Spring has emerged, with scholars and critics seeking to understand the complex social, cultural, and political dynamics that shaped this period.

Theoretical Framework:
This book adopts a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on insights from various fields such as literary studies, sociology, and political science. It aims to explore the ways in which fiction, particularly short fiction and novels, can contribute to our understanding of the Arab Spring. By analyzing the textual representations of the Arab Spring, this book seeks to uncover the underlying themes, narratives, and symbols that shape the way.

Methodology:
The study employs a qualitative methodology, which involves close textual analysis of a selection of fiction works that address the Arab Spring. The selection of these works is based on a rigorous criteria, including their relevance to the topic, their quality of writing, and their ability to provide insights into the social, cultural, and political dynamics of the Arab Spring. The analysis is conducted using a combination of critical theory, cultural studies, and postcolonial theory, which allow for a comprehensive understanding of the texts.

Findings:
The findings of the study reveal that fiction, particularly short fiction and novels, can play a crucial role in shaping our understanding of the Arab Spring. Through their textual representations, fiction works can provide a unique lens through which to examine the complex social, cultural, and political dynamics of the region. The study identifies the commercialization of Neo-Orientalist and securitized elements in short fiction and novels aimed at the Western literary market, and examines the role which the literary market plays the plays the in constructing, aestheticizing, and marketing mental boundaries between the Islamicate world and the West.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this book offers a valuable contribution to the field of literary studies by exploring the ways. The book explores the commercialization of Neo-Orientalist and securitized elements in short fiction and novels aimed at the Western literary market, and examines the role which the literary market plays in constructing, aestheticizing, and marketing mental boundaries between the Islamicate world and the West. By bringing together, together approaches from the social sciences. The study not only carves out recurring tropes, frames, and figurations which are complicit in diffusing a Neo-Orientalist and anti-Muslim imagery into mainstream society, but also shows how influential frames of insecurity, precarity, affective masculinity, and terror refract the adverse psychosocial consequences of the neoliberal project into a securitization of the Other.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474488006