Gender and Sexuality Studies

Abstract

Both Homeland Elegies (2020) by Ayad Akhtar and The Parisian (2019) by Isabella Hammad are novels that explore themes of identity, belonging, and cultural displacement against historical backdrops (modern America and early 20th-century Palestine respectively). Both novels delve deep into the complexities of cultural identity and the struggles of characters who navigate between different cultural worlds. In Homeland Elegies, Akhtar reflects on being a Pakistani American in contemporary America, while Hammad's The Parisian explores the identity crisis of a young Palestinian man studying in France. These novels will be analyzed through a diaspora studies framework to illuminate the complexities of identity, belonging, and displacement within contemporary literary narratives

Biography

Dr. Walid Abdallah Rezk is an esteemed Egyptian academic specializing in English language and comparative literature. A native Arabic speaker, Dr. Walid earned his PhD in English and comparative literature, focusing on the intersections of modern Arabic, English, and American literature. With over fifteen years of experience in higher education, he has established himself as a respected English teacher and scholar. Currently, Dr. Walid serves as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Arts, Suez University, where he imparts knowledge on grammar, composition, and comparative literature. Dr. Walid is a prolific researcher and author, having published numerous research papers and books that bridge the cultural and literary gaps between the East and West. His notable work includes "Escape to the Realm of Imagination," a comparative study of the works of Tawfiq Al-Hakim and Jack London. He has also collaborated with American poet Andy Fogle on translating Arabic poems into English, winning the RHINO POETRY prize in 2015.