Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Life Writing

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

School

School of Arts and Humanities

RAS ID

31174

Comments

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in LIFE WRITING on 23/08/2019, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14484528.2019.1658505

Adji, A. N. (2021). Youth matters: Shedding light on displacement in Syrian girls' memoirs. Life Writing, 18(2), 225-241. https://doi.org/10.1080/14484528.2019.1658505

Abstract

In the face of war and political crisis, fleeing a country seems to be the best choice to get on with life. Among many refugee memoirs, so far young adult refugee texts have received little attention. This article analyses two young Syrian girls’ memoirs by Nujeen Mustafa and Yusra Mardini to investigate their experience of displacement. I argue that both Nujeen and Butterfly are prime specimens of young displacement memoir phenomena which act as a venue for identity negotiation. This point has much to do with their navigating the tensions between personal and collective selves to disclose their trauma and demonstrate re-appropriation after being exposed to discrimination and stigma. This article also highlights the premise that as accomplished representatives, the Syrian girls’ memoirs may affirm or influence readers’ perspectives toward the authors and their embodied cultural values.

DOI

10.1080/14484528.2019.1658505

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