ARAB NATIONAL IDENTITY THROUGH LANGUAGE IN “DHAKIRAT AL-JASAD” AND “THE MAP OF LOVE”

Amel KHIREDDINE

doi:10.24193/subbphilo.2020.3.23

Authors

Amel KHIREDDINE University of Boumerdes, Algeria. Contact address: <a.khireddine@univ-boumerdes.dz>

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24193/subbphilo.2020.3.23

Keywords:

Arab national identity, homogenous pure identities, heterogeneous hybrid identities, linguistic approaches, contemporary Arab women’s writings, Ahlam Mosteghanemi, Ahdaf Soueif, Homi Bhabha.

Abstract

Arab National Identity through Language in Dhakirat al-Jasad and The Map of Love. In their novels, the Algerian Ahlam Mosteghanemi and the Egyptian Ahdaf Soueif adopt specific linguistic approaches that render their imaginary of Arab national identities. Drawing upon the theories of Benedict Anderson and Homi Bhabha’s Hybridity, this paper argues that through their unique employment of language, Mosteghanemi and Soueif project two different visions of Arab national identity. In using Arabic to write her fiction, Mosteghanemi enacts a rupture with francophonie in order to sustain the purity of Arabic as a strong emblem of Arab national unity and identity. Conversely, by creating a hybridised language, Soueif seems to showcase that the creation of a new language might lead to the creation of new heterogeneous national identities.

ABSTRACT. Identitatea națională arabă prin limbă în Dhakirat al-Jasad și Harta iubirii. În romanele lor, algerianul Ahlam Mosteghanemi și egipteanul Ahdaf Soueif adoptă abordări lingvistice specifice care redau imaginarul identităților naționale arabe. Bazându-se pe teoriile despre hibriditatea lui Homi Bhabha și Benedict Anderson, această lucrare susține că prin angajarea lor unică în limbă, Mosteghanemi și Soueif proiectează două viziuni diferite ale identității naționale arabe. Folosind araba pentru a-și scrie ficțiunea, Mosteghanemi adoptă o ruptură cu francofonia pentru a susține puritatea arabei ca o emblemă puternică a unității și identității naționale arabe. În schimb, prin crearea unui limbaj hibridizat, Soueif pare să arate că crearea unui nou limbaj ar putea duce la crearea de noi identități naționale eterogene.

Cuvinte cheie: identitate națională arabă, identități pure omogene, identități hibride eterogene, abordări lingvistice, scrieri contemporane ale femeilor arabe, Ahlam Mosteghanemi, Ahdaf Soueif, Homi Bhabha.

Author Biography

Amel KHIREDDINE, University of Boumerdes, Algeria. Contact address: <a.khireddine@univ-boumerdes.dz>

Dr. Amel Khireddine teaches at the English Department of the University of Boumerdes, Algeria. Contact address: <a.khireddine@univ-boumerdes.dz>

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