Introduction: “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman
“Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman first appeared in the Fall 2004 issue of Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature (Volume 23, No. 2), published by the University of Tulsa. This seminal work examines the concept of “home” within the context of migration, dislocation, and cultural hybridity. Friedman explores the poetics of diaspora, focusing on how identity, intimacy, and cultural belonging are constantly negotiated through the tensions of being “in-between” places and traditions. Her analysis integrates literary, feminist, and postcolonial theories, making the essay pivotal in understanding the relationship between migration and identity formation. By dissecting narratives of exile, displacement, and rootedness, Friedman expands the discourse on globalization and multiculturalism, offering profound insights into the psychological and cultural implications of movement and resettlement in contemporary literature and theory.
Summary of “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman
1. Conceptualizing Diaspora and Home
- Multifaceted Experiences of Migration: Friedman illustrates the contradictions of home through the story of Saleema, a young Pakistani-American, embodying tensions between cultural expectations and personal identity (Friedman, p. 189).
- Home as Both Familiar and Estranged: Drawing from Gloria Anzaldúa, Friedman discusses how home is a psychological space—rooted in one’s identity yet perpetually elusive. “I carry ‘home’ on my back” reflects the ongoing negotiation of belonging (Anzaldúa, cited p. 21).
2. The Poetics of Dislocation
- Home as Utopia and Nowhere: Using linguistic play on “nowhere” and “now here,” Friedman highlights the duality of home as a desired yet unreachable ideal (Friedman, p. 192).
- Cultural and Bodily Markers of Alienation: Diasporic bodies, marked by race, gender, and appearance, often become sites of both resistance and marginalization, illustrating Homi Bhabha’s concept of the “affective body” (Friedman, p. 190).
3. Memory and Writing as Homes
- Writing to Reclaim Home: Authors like Caryl Phillips and Adrienne Rich use literary creation as a space to reconcile fragmented identities. Memory and writing act as homes that individuals recreate through artistic expression (Phillips, p. 131; Rich, p. 49).
- Home in Diasporic Literature: Friedman emphasizes that writers reimagine home through memories of dislocation, often marked by loss and longing (Friedman, p. 206).
4. Gender and Violence
- The Violence of Home: Examining Edwidge Danticat’s Breath, Eyes, Memory, Friedman reveals how home, as a concept, can also be a site of violence, particularly for women whose bodies are policed by cultural traditions (Danticat, p. 154).
- Partition and Loss: Through examples like the Partition of India, Friedman discusses how geopolitical events leave bodies and homes fragmented, with survivors navigating ruptured cultural and personal geographies (Friedman, p. 200).
5. Resilience in Displacement
- Negotiating Between Worlds: Friedman describes how diasporic individuals inhabit spaces of in-betweenness, such as Saleema’s choice to remain “just friends” with a partner, reflecting a middle ground between agency and cultural obligations (Friedman, p. 190).
- The Universality of Displacement: From Mira Nair’s cinematic works to Meena Alexander’s poetic reflections, Friedman suggests that navigating displacement is a universal yet deeply personal endeavor (Alexander, p. 147).
6. Conclusion: Poetics of Dislocation
- Writing as Survival: Friedman concludes that for diasporic individuals, writing about home is a means of survival, capturing the fragmented, fluid nature of identity in motion. “The rapture of writing rupture” encapsulates the transformative power of narrative (Friedman, p. 207).
Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman
| Theoretical Term/Concept | Definition/Explanation | Key References in the Article |
| Diaspora | A state of displacement, involving cultural, geographical, and psychological dislocation. Diaspora challenges notions of fixed identities and homes. | Saleema’s story; references to Homi Bhabha and Gloria Anzaldúa (p. 189, 271). |
| Home as Utopia/Nowhere | The paradoxical idea that “home” is both an idealized space of belonging and a concept that is perpetually unattainable. | Linguistic play on “nowhere” and “now here” (p. 192). |
| Affective Body | The body as a site of emotional and cultural inscription, marked by sensations of pleasure, pain, and identity struggles. | Homi Bhabha’s framework on bodies and social authority (p. 190). |
| Borderlands | The psychological and physical spaces of in-betweenness where individuals negotiate identities that transcend borders. | Gloria Anzaldúa’s reflections on cultural hybridity and identity (p. 21). |
| Homesickness | The dual longing for and estrangement from home, representing both desire and alienation. | Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz; Freud’s uncanny concept (p. 191-193). |
| Partition of the Self | The emotional and cultural fragmentation experienced due to geopolitical or personal dislocations. | Narratives of Indian Partition, such as Jyotirmoyee Devi’s The River Churning (p. 200). |
| Unhomeliness | The condition of feeling alien or displaced within one’s home or culture; linked to Freud’s concept of the uncanny. | Homi Bhabha’s analysis of the “unhomely” (p. 271). |
| Writing as Home | The act of writing as a process of reclaiming identity and reconstructing an imagined sense of home. | Reflections by Caryl Phillips and Adrienne Rich (p. 206-207). |
| Cultural Hybridity | The coexistence and interaction of diverse cultural identities within diasporic individuals. | Chandra Talpade Mohanty and Saleema’s navigation of Pakistani-American identity (p. 190). |
| Imaginary Homeland | The idealized and often mythical conception of a homeland, constructed through memory and longing. | Salman Rushdie’s concept of imagined homelands; Caryl Phillips (p. 206). |
| Violence on the Body | The physical and symbolic violence experienced by bodies in patriarchal, colonial, or diasporic contexts. | Edwidge Danticat’s Breath, Eyes, Memory (p. 154). |
| Rapture of Writing Rupture | The transformative power of writing to heal and articulate the fragmented self caused by dislocation. | Virginia Woolf and Susan Friedman’s reflections on writing as survival (p. 207). |
| Temporal and Spatial Dislocation | The experience of being unmoored from a specific time or place, creating a sense of instability. | Mira Nair’s films and migrant narratives (p. 196). |
| Exile | A state of being away from one’s home, often imposed, fostering a sense of estrangement and creativity. | Edward Said’s reflections on exile and belonging (p. 204). |
Contribution of “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman to Literary Theory/Theories
1. Diaspora Studies
- Conceptual Framework for Diaspora: Friedman expands the notion of diaspora by exploring the lived experiences of displacement, cultural hybridity, and identity negotiation, as exemplified in Saleema’s narrative and Homi Bhabha’s theories (p. 189, 271).
- Intersection of Personal and Geopolitical: The essay highlights how diaspora is shaped by historical events (e.g., Partition of India) and individual struggles, linking diasporic identities with broader socio-political contexts (p. 200).
- Imaginary Homeland: Drawing from Salman Rushdie, Friedman examines how diasporic subjects construct idealized homelands through memory and longing (p. 206).
- Unhomeliness and the Colonial Subject: Friedman uses Homi Bhabha’s concept of the “unhomely” to explore how postcolonial subjects experience alienation within both their adopted and native lands (p. 271).
- Partition Narratives: The analysis of works like The River Churning and What the Body Remembers reveals how colonial violence fragments personal and cultural identities (p. 200).
- Hybridity and Borderlands: Friedman incorporates Gloria Anzaldúa’s concept of the Borderlands to discuss the negotiation of hybrid identities in the diaspora (p. 21).
- The Body as Text: Friedman examines how the female body becomes a site of cultural inscription, control, and resistance, referencing works by Adrienne Rich and Anne Sexton (p. 190).
- Home as Patriarchal Space: The article critiques traditional notions of home as a site of patriarchal dominance, linking it to feminist struggles for autonomy (p. 201).
- Women’s Writing and Diaspora: Friedman emphasizes how women writers (e.g., Meena Alexander, Gloria Anzaldúa) articulate dislocation through poetic and narrative forms, transforming exile into a space of creativity (p. 204).
4. Memory and Trauma Theory
- Memory as a Rewriting of Home: Drawing from Azade Seyhan and Edward Said, the essay explores how memory reconstructs home and identity in the aftermath of displacement (p. 204).
- Trauma of Partition and Dislocation: Friedman analyzes how violence, such as in Breath, Eyes, Memory and Partition narratives, shapes cultural memory and identity (p. 200).
- Healing Through Writing: The process of writing is framed as a means of articulating and overcoming trauma, resonating with Virginia Woolf’s concept of the “shock of arrival” (p. 207).
5. Spatial and Temporal Theories
- Home as a Temporal Construct: Friedman interrogates the idea of home as both an imagined past and a desired future, linking it to spatial dislocation (p. 192).
- Nowhere/Now Here: Inspired by Roger Friedland and Deirdre Boden, the essay explores how diasporic identities are shaped by spatial simultaneity and temporality (p. 192).
6. Narrative and Poetics
- Writing as Reclamation: The essay frames writing as an act of reclaiming and reshaping displaced identities, contributing to theories on narrative and poetics (p. 206).
- Palimpsest of Identity: The concept of the self as a layered, shifting entity, informed by fragmented cultural and geographical experiences, is central to Friedman’s argument (p. 207).
- Contradictions in Home Narratives: Friedman critiques the trope of “homecoming” in literature, proposing a poetics of dislocation instead (p. 205).
7. Globalization and Cultural Studies
- Transnational Identities: The essay connects diaspora to globalization, examining how identities are shaped by transnational flows of culture, memory, and economics (p. 196).
- Cultural Commodification of Home: Friedman critiques how diasporic narratives can be commodified in global cultural markets, referencing Mira Nair’s films (p. 196).
Examples of Critiques Through “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman
| Literary Work | Critique Through “Bodies on the Move” |
| Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat | Friedman critiques how Danticat’s novel portrays the intersection of personal and cultural trauma. The Haitian custom of “testing” parallels state violence, emphasizing the body as a site of inherited trauma and cultural resistance. |
| The River Churning by Jyotirmoyee Devi | Explores Partition of India as a metaphor for dislocation. Friedman analyzes how the protagonist’s trauma reflects the violence of national and cultural identity rupture. The narrative examines exile and societal rejection post-Partition. |
| The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros | Examines Esperanza’s search for autonomy and identity. Friedman connects this quest to diasporic longing, showing how home is simultaneously a site of belonging and estrangement, revealing identity in motion. |
| What the Body Remembers by Shauna Singh Baldwin | Critiques how Partition reshapes personal and collective identities. Friedman highlights the juxtaposition of displacement and empowerment, particularly how dislocation can foster resilience and self-redefinition. |
Criticism Against “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman
- Overgeneralization of Diaspora Experiences
Critics argue that Friedman tends to generalize the diasporic experience, often glossing over the nuanced differences between forced displacement (e.g., refugees) and voluntary migration (e.g., expatriates). - Focus on Elite Diasporas
The analysis heavily features examples from privileged or elite diasporic communities, such as Saleema, whose challenges are cushioned by wealth and status, potentially neglecting the struggles of marginalized or economically disadvantaged migrants. - Romanticization of Dislocation
Some reviewers suggest that Friedman’s emphasis on dislocation as a site for creativity and identity formation risks romanticizing the trauma and alienation experienced by displaced individuals. - Lack of Intersectional Analysis
Critics point out that while Friedman engages with race, gender, and culture, her discussion could further incorporate an intersectional analysis of class, sexuality, and ability in shaping diasporic identities. - Western-Centric Frameworks
The theoretical grounding draws heavily from Western literary and cultural theorists (e.g., Homi Bhabha, Gloria Anzaldúa), which some argue may limit its applicability to non-Western diasporas or frameworks. - Abstract and Dense Theoretical Language
The text’s theoretical density and abstract language make it less accessible to general readers or those from disciplines outside literary theory. - Minimal Focus on Historical Context
While Friedman engages with cultural and emotional aspects of diaspora, some critics note a lack of deeper historical and political contextualization of the diasporic movements discussed. - Limited Critique of the Concept of “Home”
Critics suggest that the essay could delve more critically into the concept of “home” itself, questioning its construction and implications in different geopolitical contexts.
Representative Quotations from “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman with Explanation
| Quotation | Explanation |
| “One without a home becomes a traveler.” | Reflects the core idea of diasporic identity as dynamic and constantly evolving, where movement becomes a defining aspect of existence. |
| “Identity is changed by the journey.” | Emphasizes how diasporic journeys transform individual and collective identities, shaping new understandings of self and belonging. |
| “Diaspora is hard on intimacy.” | Highlights the strain and emotional complexities that displacement and cultural dislocation impose on personal relationships and family dynamics. |
| “Home is an idea, an inner geography where the ache to belong finally quits.” | Suggests that home transcends physicality and becomes a psychological construct, often influenced by nostalgia and longing. |
| “Living in a state of psychic unrest, in a Borderland is what makes poets write and artists create.” | Indicates how dislocation and the tension of living between cultures and worlds can fuel creativity and artistic expression. |
| “To inhabit the body of the stranger is to be never at home.” | Describes the alienation and exclusion faced by those who appear culturally or physically different in their host societies, making their sense of home precarious. |
| “Migration creates the desire for home, which in turn produces the rewriting of home.” | Explores how the experience of migration redefines the concept of home, often necessitating a reevaluation or creation of a new identity tied to both past and present experiences. |
| “The story about home is the story of trying to get there.” | Suggests that the notion of home is inherently tied to the journey or struggle of returning, physically or metaphorically, reflecting the diasporic condition. |
| “Home comes into being most powerfully when it is gone, lost, left behind, desired and imagined.” | Argues that the concept of home is often most deeply felt and articulated in its absence, resonating with diasporic communities who romanticize and idealize their lost origins. |
| “Writing about the loss of home brings one home again.” | Posits that creative and literary expression becomes a way to reconstruct and reclaim home in the face of dislocation, providing solace and continuity amid disruption. |
Suggested Readings: “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora” by Susan Stanford Friedman
- Friedman, Susan Stanford. “Bodies on the Move: A Poetics of Home and Diaspora.” Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature, vol. 23, no. 2, 2004, pp. 189–212. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/20455187. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
- Alam, Fakrul. “The Mythos of Return and Recent Indian English Diasporic Fiction.” Writing India Anew: Indian English Fiction 2000-2010, edited by Krishna Sen and Rituparna Roy, Amsterdam University Press, 2013, pp. 247–58. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt45kd51.18. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
- Lehmann, Sophia. “In Search of a Mother Tongue: Locating Home in Diaspora.” MELUS, vol. 23, no. 4, 1998, pp. 101–18. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/467830. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
- Hussain, Asaf. “The Indian Diaspora in Britain: Political Interventionism and Diaspora Activism.” Asian Affairs, vol. 32, no. 3, 2005, pp. 189–208. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30172878. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.