| Summary/Abstract |
This study focuses on the deconstruction of dominant perceptions of Arab
masculinity, particularly with respect to Hans, the exiled Iraqi protagonist of Diana AbuJaber’s
2003 novel Crescent. Employing the concept of the unheimlich as it intersects with
the Iraqi Al-Futuwwa movement, this article explores the ways in which the condition of
being exiled strips the protagonist of his masculine ideals that are often associated with
nationalism and chivalry, and exposes his internalized vulnerabilities to “unhomeliness,”
since he has been disconnected from country and family. In effect, the study subverts
hegemonic conceptualizations of Arab masculinity by examining the unsettling repercussions
of forced migration.
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