Refugeehood Dematerialised: An Analysis of Agency in Select Refugee Narratives
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Date
2025-05
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Avinashilingam
Abstract
Refugee narratives in English literature encapsulate the extensive problems of the individuals on becoming non- citizens due to several reasons. These narratives examine the factors that lead to statelessness and explores their predicament as refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers or immigrants. The narratives written by refugees themselves or an author with personal interest and proper research on refugees, provide authentic depiction of their ordeal. Further, these literary works advocate for solutions, urging those in power and society at large to take meaningful steps toward improving the lives of refugees. As a result, the present thesis scrutinises seven such refugee narratives: A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi, The Boat People by Sharon Bala, First, They Erased Our Name by Habiburahman, Little Daughter by Zoya Phan, City of Thorns by Ben Rawlence, How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana, and The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman, which includes memoirs, biographies and fiction. The thesis makes a modest attempt to investigate into refugee crisis with special focus on human
agency. It uses Hannah Arendt’s theoretical concept, namely, ‘statelessness,’ ‘right to have rights,’ ‘banality of evil’ and ‘plurality’. The thesis identifies that refugeehood remains a profound challenge, stripping individuals of their political, social, cultural, economic, legal, and bodily agency. It critically examines the erosion of these forms of agency and explores refugees’ resilience through the assertion of autonomy and through their continuing struggle for survival in the face of systemic and enduring adversity with the help of political theories of Hannah Arendt. It also tries to contemplate on few possible solutions for alleviating the hardships of refugees all over the world.
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English