Representations of Postcolonial Discourse in Arab Literary Criticism: Jaber Asfour as a Model

Abstract

This This study aims to examine the representations of postcolonial discourse in Arab literary criticism through the critical project of Jaber Asfour, as one of the most prominent voices that have engaged with this discourse over recent decades. The research problem is grounded in questioning the extent to which Asfour has assimilated postcolonial concepts, and how he has mobilized them in addressing a range of issues central to postcolonial discourse, notably the question of the universality of literature and the problematics of language. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach by delineating the key concepts of postcolonialism and analyzing the modes of their articulation and representation. The findings indicate that Asfour has drawn on the conceptual framework of postcolonial discourse to address issues that have long been—and continue to be—at the core of Arab critical debates. This engagement contributes to a deeper understanding of the self and to the deconstruction of the traditional hierarchical binary between center and margins.