Postcolonial Identity and Discourse: Foucauldian Analysis of Shamsie’s A God in Every Stone

Abstract

The term ‘Post-colonial identity and discourse’ is the cultural, social and political web that prevails in societies following the end of the colonial rule. This interconnected terminology also negotiates colonial structure of knowledge production and representation seeking to decentre Eurocentric perspectives and amplify marginalized voices. This paper seeks to achieve the objective of fostering alternative visions of self-determination, sovereignty, and solidarity among formerly colonized peoples by employing Foucauldian analysis on Kamila Shamsie's novel, "A God in Every Stone." Drawing upon the works of Michel Foucault (2016) and through a close reading of key characters and events, this analysis elucidates how colonial power structures and systems of knowledge production intersect in the novel to shape individual and collective identities. The present study is qualitative in nature. The data has been collected through the close reading technique of the A God in Every Stone. Moreover the findings of the study suggest that the elements of power and resistance are present in the novel and further the researcher has found different dimensions of Foucault’s power, i.e., Sovereign power and disciplinary power through the dialogues of the characters as mentioned in the novel. The upcoming researchers can compare different literary works based on the presence of element of power and resistance. They can further compare different dimensions of power in the same literary text in the years to come.