New Books in Middle Eastern Studies Laetitia Nanquette, "Iranian Literature After the Islamic Revolution: Production and Circulation in Iran and the World" (Edinburgh UP, 2021)
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May 6, 2023 Dr. Laetitia Nanquette, a French-Australian scholar from UNSW, delves into Iranian literature's evolution post-Islamic Revolution. She discusses how the Iran-Iraq War reshaped narratives, emphasizing martyrdom and emerging female voices. Their conversation highlights the critical role of the internet in activism and dissent, as well as the juxtaposition of independent publishing and children's literature at the Tehran International Book Fair. Nanquette also explores the dynamic exchange between domestic and diaspora literature, particularly the influence of cultural movements on modern Iranian writing.
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How She Discovered Persian Literature
- Laetitia Nanquette first discovered Persian literature after her BA and then studied Persian in Iran and the UK.
- Her year in Esfahan and later Tehran shaped her shift from classical to contemporary literature and her career path.
Two Distinct Iranian Literary Fields
- Nanquette finds Iranian literature in Iran and the diaspora form two largely separate literary fields.
- Both fields are rich but operate with different networks, audiences, and constraints.
Language Drift Separates Diaspora Writers
- Exiled Iranian writers can lose linguistic proximity to readers in Iran because Persian evolves rapidly.
- That linguistic drift contributes to mutual neglect between diaspora authors and homeland audiences.
