Volume IV Special Issue VIII October 2024

Name of Author : Sufyan Awad Hasson, Prof. Pulin Bhatt

Title of the paper : Xenophobia in Ward Badr Salims The Virgin of Sinjar

Abstract: Ward Badr Al-Salems novel The Virgin of Sinjar centers on the pervasive terror inflicted upon the inhabitants of Sinjar by ISIS. The narrative details the transformation of Sinjar from a peaceful, flourishing city into a site of extreme violence and despair, marked by the slaughter, enslavement, and genocide of its people, particularly the Yazidis. The novel emphasizes the vulnerability of women during crises, symbolized by the titular Virgin of Sinjar, and critiques the xenophobic ideology driving the atrocities committed by foreign ISIS fighters. Al-Salems realistic portrayal, grounded in firsthand accounts, eschews metaphor to present an unflinching account of the horrors endured by the Yazidi community. The philosophical exploration of terror and xenophobia underscores the broader existential themes of life, freedom, and the human struggle against oppression. This paper examines the depiction of terror and the role of xenophobia in the novel, highlighting the devastating impact on social cohesion and human dignity.

Keywords : Xenophobia, Terror, Yazidis, Sinjar, ISIS, Social Cohesion, Opression and Human Dignity

DOI :

Page Number : 111-119