The Literature of the Iranian Diaspora: Meaning and Identity since the Islamic Revolution

by Sanaz Fotouhi

The 1979 Revolution in Iran caused the migration of millions of Iranians, many of whom wrote, and are still writing of, their experiences. Formed at the junctions of Iranian culture, English language and Western cultures, this body of work has not only formed a unique literary space, offering an insightful reflection of Iranian diasporic experiences and its shifting nature, but it has also been making a unique and understudied contribution to World Literatures in English as significant as Indian, African and Asian writing in English. Sanaz Fotouhi here traces the origins of the emerging body of diasporic Iranian literature in English, and uses these origins to examine the socio-political position and historical context from which they have emerged. Fotouhi brings together, introduces and analyses, for the first time, a significant range of diasporic Iranian writers alongside each other and alongside other diasporic literatures in English. While situating this body of work through existing theories such as postcolonialism, Fotouhi sheds new light on the role of Iranian literature and culture in Western literature by showing that these writings distinctively reflect experiences unique to the Iranian diaspora. Analysing the relationship between Iranians and their new surroundings, by drawing on theories of migration, narration and identity, Fotouhi examines how the literature borne out of the Iranian diaspora reconstructs, maintains and negotiates their individual and communal identities and reflects today’s socio-political realities. This book will be vital for researchers of Middle Eastern literature and its relationship with writings from the West, as well as those interested in the cultural history of the Middle East.

Genres: Iran

288 pages, Hardcover

Published April 28, 2015

Reviews

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the disadvantages of reading a digital version is the effort needed to ‘flick through’ to get a sense of the physical structure. While this can be done with a digital version, you need to make a conscious effort, rather than simply flicking through the pages. So engrossed was I in each chapter, looking forward to the next, that I had not realised that the last 200 pages were notes and index. I was astonishingly disappointed.

The concept of analysing the literature of diaspora is such a good and enlightening one. So much of it makes sense, not only in terms of Iran. The chapter on relationships with mothers was particularly interesting.

The book is strong while discussing the works of Iranian women. The chapter, dealing with the writing of men is less satisfying. While making the legitimate (and obvious) point that not all Iranian male immigrants are terrorists, it doesn’t add much more to our knowledge.

Hopefully other scholars will take up where this book leaves off. For the lay reader of English is provides a way into literature of the Iranian diaspora and helpful insights into some of the experiences of migration.

[Behnaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book and went on reading without stopping.

Fotouhi makes a valuable analysis of more than 250 books written by Iranian writers in diaspora in English.

The most interesting chapters are the ones regarding the continuum of search of a homeland from the Sufi tradition and poetry to the current migration literature and the one revolving around Iranian masculinity: between invisibility and hyper visibility.

The book offers a good analysis and basis for understanding the diasporic phycological aspects.