An Image of Arab Minorities: The Myth of the City of Multiplicity in Amara Lakhous’ Divorce Islamic Style (2012)

Une Image des Minorités Arabes : le Mythe de la Ville de la Multiplicité dans le Style Islamique du Divorce d’Amara Lakhous (2012)

Abstract

Against the widespread image of Italy as a melting pot that celebrates the plurality of the distinct nationalities on its territory, Amara Lakhous’ Divorce Islamic Style, catalogues images of Muslims and/or Arabs minorities and their struggle with the western perceptions and mindsets. The novel is replete with instances of discrimination, reflecting current patterns of categorization and generalization associated with immigrants, in general, and the Arab Muslim community living in Italy, in particular. The overriding aim of this paper is to explore the stereotypical images of Arab Muslim minorities through male and female perspectives of Christian/Issa and Safia/Sofia. While the former offers insights into the absurdity of stereotypes and prejudices, the latter is so empowering of Arab Muslim women to grow beyond the established images and reconstruct genuine ones. Lakhous further offers a very elastic conceptualization of identity that subverts the very essence of prejudice, bringing about a beyondstereotyping philosophy. Hence, Lakhous could unmask the myth of a polyglot Italy that celebrates the other.