Writing in Exile: Bidoon Resistance and Speaking Truth to Power

Abstract

This article concentrates on the writings of the late Naser Al-Zafiri who documented the realities of the Bidoon community’s experiences in Kuwait and the diaspora. In his novels, through the detailed portrayals of the characters and their stories, Zafiri explicates lived experiences of belonging and homelessness of the Bidoon in Kuwait, as well as their immigrant experiences and encounters in Canada and other countries. By illustrating the pedagogical and political significance of Zafiri’s novels, and situating it in relation to other resistance work, the article contributes to our understanding of truth-telling, resistance, resiliency and survival of the Bidoons in Kuwait and in the diaspora.