Abdulrazak Gurnah: A Reappraisal. Introduction.

This special issue on Abdulrazak Gurnah’s works brings together eleven academic articles. Each contribution engages with Paradise (1994), either as its primary focus or through comparative analyses alongside By the Sea (2001) and Theft (2025). The issue also features an article by a historian examining the historical context in which Paradise is set. Ranging from the centrality of materiality in Paradise to explorations of time and space, as well as affect – encompassing emotions such as laughter and shame – across Paradise and other works, these contributions offer original perspectives and methodologies. They also examine the stakes of translating Gurnah’s work into Kiswahili. Together, they deepen our understanding of Gurnah’s nuanced and complex novels.