The 1979 Revolution in Iran caused the migration of millions of Iranians, many of whom wrote of, and are still writing of, their experiences.

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 emerged. 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 a diasporic experience unique to Iranians.

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 reflects socio-political realities today. The first of its kind, 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.

“Sanaz Fotouhi has surveyed the subject of recent Iranian writing in English comprehensively, stimulatingly, and adroitly in The Literature of the Iranian Diaspora…(It) should be required reading for anyone casually or academically interested in its subject.” – Michael Craig Gillmann, Professor of Persian Studies, The University of Texas Austin.

“Fotouhi’s book is one of the first and most comprehensive books dedicated to the subject in the recent years. “ – Dr. Poupeh Missaghi

In 2006, Sanaz Fotouhi, a young woman in her twenties, travels to Afghanistan with filmmaker Amin Palangi to make a film. Seven years and four trips later their feature documentary Love Marriage in Kabul wins awards and the hearts of audiences in Australia and around the world.

Love Marriage in Kabul: a memoir, winner of the Peter Blazey Fellowship 2019, is the behind-the-scenes account of the hardships and heartaches, tears and joys of the seemingly impossible project of making a film in Afghanistan. It is the story of a young woman’s determination to confront her fears to provide an insight into the hidden world of Afghanistan’s widows and orphans. With rare compassion and lucidity, Sanaz Fotouhi chronicles her inner struggles and external events and leads us to interrogate our own notion of humanity.

“This is a beautifully written memoir about local traumas and predicaments, pitching them – often uneasily – against global movement and an increasingly cosmopolitan self-awareness.” – Judges of the University of Melbourne’s Peter Blazey Fellowship

 

Join us for the launch of the book

Love Marriage in Kabul: A Memoir is available in bookstores in Australia, or as an e-book across the globe through the following retailers.