Manifestation of Different Selves in Bachtyar Ali's Occupying the Darkness

Abstract

Bachtyar Ali's "Occupying the Darkness" is a powerful contemporary Kurdish novel that grapples with the complex issue of identity formation under colonization. Set against the backdrop of decades of oppression and violence against Kurds in Turkey, the novel offers a nuanced portrayal of the colonized Kurdish individual and their struggle for selfhood. This study delves into the various manifestations of "self" depicted in the novel, including the "hesitant self", "moderate self", and the "assimilated self,". By examining these different facets of identity, the study aims to illuminate colonization's profound psychological and cultural impact on the Kurdish people.