Positionings in Diaspora Space
Dynamics of Gender and Genre in Poetry by Four British Asian Women
by Sonja Lehmann
Date of Examination:2021-02-26
Date of issue:2025-01-31
Advisor:Prof. Dr. Brigitte Glaser
Referee:Prof. Dr. Brigitte Glaser
Referee:Dr. Anca-Raluca Radu
Persistent Address:
http://dx.doi.org/10.53846/goediss-11063
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Abstract
English
This study examines the works of four British women poets of South Asian descent—Imtiaz Dharker, Moniza Alvi, Raman Mundair, and Shamshad Khan—within the socio-historical context of early 21st-century Britain. It investigates the challenges faced by poets from diaspora communities in the UK, with particular focus on structural barriers to publication and the limited visibility of their work. The study highlights how Asian poets, in particular, have been consistently overlooked in academic discourse. In addition to examining the situation of female Asian poets in the early 21st century, the dissertation traces the broader history of Asian poets in Britain, providing crucial context for understanding the continued marginalisation of these voices. The thesis further explores whether female poets, specifically, encounter additional disadvantages in terms of reception, potentially due to their gender—a theme that recurs in their writing. This issue is examined through a review of scholarly criticism, literary supplements, and archival material produced by community-based groups outside mainstream publishing and institutional structures, combined with close readings of the poets' works. The study introduces the concept of ‘space’ as a dual tool for both contextual and literary analysis. Viewed as both a literal and metaphorical dimension within the cultural geography of diaspora communities, and as a formal element in the poets' works, this concept bridges these two areas, generating meaningful insights in both. This framework offers a fresh perspective on the poets' contributions to British and British-Asian poetic traditions. By focusing on spatialised language, structure, and imagery—and their intersection with gendered themes—the analysis explores how these poets engage with diasporic and gendered experiences, subverting stereotypes and articulating a self-determined British identity, while also offering a more inclusive vision of British poetry. In doing so, the study addresses overlooked areas in cultural and literary studies, particularly the contribution of South Asian women poets to literary discourse. It also highlights the value of traditional literary genres and analytical techniques in cultural studies approaches to literature, areas that have often been neglected within this field.
Keywords: British poetry; women poets; Imtiaz Dharker; Moniza Alvi; Raman Mundair; Shamshad Khan; British Asian poets; Black British poets; British Asian literature; Black British literature; poetry and cultural studies; space and identity in literature; literary analysis of spatial imagery; literary reception; Asian diasporic literature in Britain; British Asian poetic traditions; representation of South Asian women in literature; Asian diaspora in Britain; cultural studies
