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Title From Deterritorialization to Reterritorialization: Exploring Feminist Becoming of Palestinian and Nigerian Women in the Selected Works of Etaf Rum and Abi Dar

Author(s) Afshan Akhtar

Abstract This thesis delves into an examination of the novels A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum and The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare through the theoretical lens given by Deleuze and Guattari along with Ian Buchanan and Claire Colebrook. Textual analysis offered by Catherine Belsey is the research method used to analyse the selected texts. The research aims to understand how female characters in these novels undergo identity shifts and navigate societal expectations, employing a feminist theoretical framework that emphasises fluidity and transformation. Through a comparative examination of the shared experiences of women from diverse cultural backgrounds within these novels, the research sheds light on the transformative potential embedded in Deleuzian feminism. The analysis explores how the narratives within the selected texts illustrate the dynamic nature of becoming woman, emphasising the fluidity of identity through the lens of deterritorialization. Simultaneously, the study investigates the processes of reterritorialization, investigating how the female characters, Isra, Deya, Sarah, and Adunni, navigate and assert agency within complex socio-cultural contexts. Furthermore, this research contributes to the discourse by challenging and refuting prevailing notions surrounding early or forced marriages. The analysis highlights the transformative potential of education as a tool for women to defy oppressive norms, shatter barriers, and assert their agency. The importance of education in both novels transcends cultural boundaries and emphasises its role in women's empowerment. This comparative analysis reveals the transformative potential of Deleuzian feminism, offering a critical examination of oppressive cultural practices, especially regarding marital expectations imposed on women. This research inspires future researchers to address pressing concerns of early marriages and underscores the significance of empowering girls.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

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Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2025-07-24

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