Negotiating the Concept of Integration in Arab Diaspora: A Study of Leila Aboulela’s “The Boy from the Kebab Shop”

Abstract

This paper examines integration as a psychological strategy employed by Arab immigrants to navigate their diasporic experiences in Western societies. Using John W. Berry’s fourfold acculturation model as a theoretical framework, the research explores the psychological implications of displacement and identity negotiation among Arab immigrants. It investigates how they balance the retention of their cultural heritage with adaptation to a foreign environment, highlighting the emotional and cognitive struggles they endure. Through an analysis of Leila Aboulela’s short story “The Boy from the Kebab Shop,” this study delves into the psychological conflicts faced by diasporic protagonists, focusing on themes of cultural alienation, displacement, homesickness, nostalgia, and multicultural identity formation. The research examines the integration process as a nuanced and individualized experience, revealing how each character employs distinct coping mechanisms to reconcile their ethnic identity with their host culture. The findings illustrate that integration is a multifaceted and dynamic psychological process, shaped by the historical, emotional, and sociocultural backgrounds of the individuals involved.