Nostalgia in Anglophone Arab Literature: Nationalism, Identity and Diaspora

This book explores the use of nostalgia in Anglophone Arab fiction, arguing that it is a valuable tool for exploring cultural memory and identity beyond Eurocentric frameworks. It demonstrates how Arab novelists writing in English draw on nostalgia as a touchstone of Arabic literary tradition, addressing subjects such as the Islamic golden age, anti-colonial struggle, postcolonial state failures, and the diaspora's relationship to the homeland.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 17 November 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book delves into the rich tapestry of Anglophone Arab fiction, exploring its intricate relationship with theoretical debates surrounding memory and identity. In a departure from the dismissive stance often taken towards nostalgia, Qutait sheds light on the innovative ways in which nostalgia is employed by renowned Arab novelists writing in English. By advocating for a broader understanding of cultural memory that transcends Eurocentric frameworks, the book showcases how these writers draw upon nostalgia as a cornerstone of Arabic literary tradition, spanning from pre-Islamic poetry to the present. Qutait situates Anglophone Arab fiction within the contentious realm of the Arab world's relationship with its past, tracing how writers have harnessed nostalgia as an aesthetic strategy to address a diverse range of subjects. These include the Islamic golden age, the era of anti-colonial struggle, the challenges faced by postcolonial states, and the enduring dilemma of the diaspora's connection to the homeland. By contributing to the transnational turn in memory studies, while also focusing on a region often overlooked in this field, this book offers valuable insights for researchers interested in cultural memory, postcolonial studies, and the rich literatures of the Middle East.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780755641932