Violence Against the Akhdam ‘Marginalized Black Community’ in Yemeni Fiction

Abstract

This study examines the theme of violence in Yemeni novels focusing on marginalized social groups, particularly the Akhdam and Al-Maqari’. Six novels published between 2008 and 2021 were analyzed: Black Taste, Black Smell by Ali Al-Maqri (2008, with a second edition in 2011), Black Sperm by Ismail Abdel-Hafiz (2010), Hisn Al-Zaidi by Al-Gharbi Imran (2019), Illegitimate by Jamal Al-Sha’ri (n.d.), Flower of Love by Ahmed Qasim Al-Ariqi (2020), and The Outcasts by Riyad Mu’tas (2021). Using cultural criticism, the study explores verbal and physical violence, including bullying, insults, humiliation, and systemic erasure of marginalized identities. It reveals how violence serves as a tool of social domination, perpetuating the superiority of the dominant white community over the black community. Social norms, customs, and authorities often align with the dominant group, enabling unchecked violence and exacerbating harm, from moral degradation to physical abuse or unprovoked killings. This research underscores the role of violence in reinforcing societal hierarchies and highlights its pervasive presence in Yemeni literature as a reflection of deep-seated inequalities.