Abstract Book of the 7th Global Conference on Women’s Studies
Year: 2025
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Crossing Borders, Breaking Barriers: Exploring Migration, ‘Othering,’ and Identity in Bangladeshi Women’s Fiction—Insights from Brick Lane and The Bones of Grace
Nushrat Azam
ABSTRACT:
In my research, I analyse how the novels Brick Lane and The Bones of Grace, as fictional narratives, portray Bangladeshi female characters navigating migration, emphasising themes of ‘othering,’ resistance, and identity formation. Migrant narratives are vital for understanding the complex processes of marginalisation and empowerment, as they reflect the diverse experiences of women in the diaspora. Nazneen in Brick Lane obtains acceptance, but ironically, this draws attention to “otherness,” hence making self-empowerment challenging. Her identity-building process becomes a confrontational struggle between choice and obligation. With her attempts to reconnect with her culture amid turmoil, Zubaida in The Bones of Grace seeks to balance her Bangladeshi roots with her changing identity. The issue I investigate is how literature presents migratory women crossing cultural and social boundaries, which act as potent analogues for confronting “othering” and stereotypes anchored in gender. Using comparative literary analysis, I investigate Nazneen and Zubaida and how their paths demonstrate resistance and the redefinition of identities in the face of all circumstances. The results show that in these stories, crossing borders becomes a metaphor for liberation, enabling these women to reclaim their voices. I highlight how breaking limits in these stories represents a metaphor for overcoming challenges, thereby allowing the women to reclaim their voices. By highlighting the gendered experiences of migration, this study ultimately emphasises the need for migrant narratives to act as social tools, initiating social change, sensitising people, and inspiring them to help foster empowerment, inclusion, and social justice for marginalised groups.
Keywords: Identity, Othering, Migrant narratives, Female characters, Migration