On Diasporic Identity in Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Works

Miaomiao WANG, Muzi LIU

Abstract


Abdulrazak Gurnah, the 2021 Nobel Prize Laureate in Literature, is a major contributor in diasporic literature, shaped by his own experiences of displacement. One of the core themes in his works is diasporic identity, a dynamic and evolving process influenced by factors such as time, space, and culture. This paper explores the representation of diasporic identity in Gurnah’s works, examining key issues including cultural conflict, identity negotiation, and psychological displacement within the broader context of globalization. In addition, this paper reviews and categorizes existing research on Gurnah’s thematic concerns, including memory and identity, cultural hybridity, otherness and marginalization, and gendered experiences of diaspora. By critically assessing the current scholarship, this paper aims to identify its limitations and propose future directions, emphasizing cross-cultural, global, and interdisciplinary approaches to deepen our understanding of diasporic narratives in Gurnah’s works.


Keywords


Diasporic identity; Abdulrazak Gurnah; Hybridity; Globalization

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/13775

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