Displacement(s) and Identity in the Libyan Story "Al-Malika" by Nağwa Binšatwan

Abstract

In a context of political repression and social oppression like Libya used to be before the Arab Spring, the literary representation of displacement assumes a central role and sometimes becomes a metaphor of an existential condition. Starting from the analysis of some short stories taken from Al-malika by Nağwa Benshatwan – one of the most interesting voices of Libya’s Contemporary literary landscape – this paper will focus on the concept of displacement interpreted not only as a physical and/or figurative migration but also as a tool for representing personal and collective identity