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2. PHD Thesis / Tesis PHD
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Title:	Postcolonial and Islamic readings of selected post-9/11 American novels
Authors:	Morteza Yousofi (P64159)
Supervisor:	Ruzy Suliza Hashim, Prof. Datin Dr.
Keywords:	Terrorism -- religious aspects -- Islam Terrorism -- United States Racism -- Political aspects -- United States Political oratory -- United States Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia -- Dissertations Dissertations, Academic -- Malaysia
Issue Date:	17-Dec-2019
Description:	American novels focusing on 9/11 generally demonize and portray Islam as a warmongering religion and its believers as violent people. Previous research has validated this perspective. This thesis, however, departs from that point of view using a combined conceptual framework. The first objective of this research is to examine the mindset and attitudes of the Americans towards Islam and Muslims from postcolonial reading lens. The second objective is to highlight the misconceptions by providing illustrations from the Islamic perspective. The three novels examined are John Updike's Terrorist, Don DeLillo's Falling Man and Amy Waldman's The Submission which foreground Islam, Muslims and Islamic doctrines, making use of 9/11 as the impetus that charts the chain of events. The conceptual framework combines postcolonial concepts drawn from David Spurr's rhetorical feature of "debasement" and three issues of "violence", "jihad" and "uncivilization' from the Islamic perspective that are prominently pointed out as the trigger of the 9/11 tragedy.Based on revelations in the Quran, as well as the traditions and the Prophet Muhammad's life, these three concepts will form the basis of the Islamic tool of analysis. The methodology divides the analysis into two parts: the first part centers on the colonial nuances which permeate the novels through a study on characters of the three novels; the second part focuses on the misconceptions of violence, jihad and uncivilization exemplified through actions and points of view privileged by the respective authors. Using the Quran as the primary source, followed by the traditions and the Prophet's life, these three subjects are reassigned a new understanding. Scholars of Islamic theology may have different understandings and interpretations of Quranic verses and traditions. Referring to the wrong interpretations of Islam, as shown by the references used by the American novelists, has produced a wrong picture of Islamic doctrines and consequently results in demonizing Islam and Muslims. The conclusions demonstrate the American 9/11 narratives as Islamophobic and bear the tinges of colonial writings which mainly results in debasement of Islam and Muslims while detecting the writers' misconceptions about the three issues from the Islamic perspective and furnishing them with answers divulges the fact that the writers' perceptions about Islam are either rooted in their lack of knowledge about Islamic matters or in their bigotry.,Ph.D.
Pages:	350
Call Number:	HV6432.7.Y638 2019 tesis
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan

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