Unmarked Yet Marked: Baldwin’s Resonance in the Works of Khakpour, Nafisi, Mirakhor and Hakakian

Abstract

Compelled to construct their narratives and writings around their racial identity, Iranian American writers such as Khakpour, Nafisi, Mirakhor, and Hakakian turn to African American activism, rhetoric, and literature to challenge their racialization. This racialization is problematized by Iranians’ perception of themselves as white and by the US official classification of Iranians as white, revealing a contradiction between the racialization act and the official designation. Seeking to resist their racial marginalization, these writers find the activism and literary expressions of James Baldwin appealing to their experience due to his racial transcendentalism, engagement with the immigration experience, and moderate critique of racial dynamics and power structures. This article focuses on the influence of Baldwin, rather than a broader range of African American writers, examining how his rhetorical strategies and racial politics are reflected in the essays, interviews, and critical writings of the aforementioned Iranian American authors. However, the broader historical context will be discussed to contextualize Baldwin’s appeal to them. Drawing on racial formation theory as a theoretical framework, the article explores how Baldwin serves as a rhetorical and literary model through which these writers articulate their ambiguous racial positioning. Baldwin’s work offers them a vocabulary through which they can articulate their ambiguous position in American racial discourse. This engagement with Baldwin is significant since it serves as a model for the kind of relationship that they may build with other marginalized groups, including African Americans, while also expressing their desire to redefine their place within US racial hierarchies.

Keywords

• Iranian-American diaspora
• Racial transcendentalism
• Racial formation theory
• Black Arts Movement
• James Baldwin

Ethical Statement

The authors of this article confirm that this research does not require a research ethics committee approval. The authors of this article confirm that their work complies with the principles of research and publication ethics.

İşaretlenmemiş Ama Yine de İşaretli: Khakpour, Nafisi, Mirakhor ve Hakakian’ın Eserlerinde Baldwin’in Yankısı

Abstract

Irk kimlikleri etrafında anlatılarını ve yazılarını inşa etmeye zorlanan Khakpour, Nafisi, Mirakhor ve Hakakian gibi İran kökenli Amerikalı yazarlar ırksallaştırılmalarına karşı çıkmak amacıyla Afrikalı Amerikalı aktivizmine, söylemine ve edebiyatına yönelirler. Bu ırksallaştırma, İranlıların kendilerini beyaz olarak görmeleri ve ABD’nin İranlıları resmi olarak beyaz sınıfına dahil etmesiyle sorunlu hale gelir; bu durum, ırksallaştırma eylemi ile resmî sınıflandırma arasında bir çelişki ortaya koyar. Irksal olarak dışlanmalarına karşı koymak isteyen bu yazarlar, James Baldwin’in ırksal aşkıncılığı, göçmenlik deneyimine olan ilgisi ve ırksal dinamiklere ve iktidar yapılarına yönelik ılımlı eleştirileri nedeniyle onun aktivizmini ve edebî ifadelerini kendi deneyimlerine uygun bulurlar. Bu makale, daha geniş bir Afrikalı Amerikalı yazarlar yelpazesinden ziyade, Baldwin’in etkisine odaklanmakta ve onun söylemsel stratejileri ile ırksal politikasının yukarıda adı geçen İran kökenli Amerikalı yazarların denemelerine, röportajlarına ve eleştirel yazılarına nasıl yansıdığını incelemektedir. Ancak Baldwin’in bu yazarlara neden hitap ettiğini anlamak için daha geniş tarihsel bağlam da ele alınacaktır. Irksal oluşum kuramını teorik çerçeve olarak kullanan makale, Baldwin’in bu yazarların muğlak ırksal konumlarını ifade etmelerinde nasıl söylemsel ve edebî bir model sunduğunu araştırır. Baldwin’in eserleri, onlara Amerikalı ırk söylemi içinde belirsiz konumlarını ifade edebilecekleri bir sözcük dağarcığı sunar. Baldwin ile bu etkileşim önemlidir; çünkü bu etkileşim, onların Afrikalı Amerikalılar da dahil olmak üzere diğer dışlanmış gruplarla kurabilecekleri ilişkinin bir modeli olarak işlev görürken, aynı zamanda ABD’deki ırksal hiyerarşiler içindeki yerlerini yeniden tanımlama arzularını da ortaya koyar.

Keywords

• İran kökenli Amerikalı diasporası
• Irksal aşkıncılık
• Irksal oluşum kuramı
• Siyah Sanatlar Hareketi
• James Baldwin

Ethical Statement

Bu makalenin yazarları, bu araştırmanın yayın etiği kurulu onayı gerektirmediğini ve çalışmalarının araştırma ve yayın etiği ilkelerine uygun olduğunu teyit etmektedir.

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