Identity, Gender, and Cultural Resistance in Contemporary South Asian English Fiction: A Comparative Study of Selected Novels

Abstract

Contemporary South Asian English fiction has become a significant literary space for exploring issues of identity, gender, and cultural resistance in societies shaped by colonial histories, globalization, religious nationalism, and socio-political transformations. This study examines the representation of identity formation, gender politics, and cultural resistance in Arundhati Roy's The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017) and Kamila Shamsie's Home Fire (2017). Employing a qualitative comparative textual analysis, the research draws upon postcolonial theory, feminist criticism, and cultural studies to investigate how both novels challenge dominant narratives of nationhood, patriarchy, and cultural conformity. The study argues that the protagonists negotiate multiple identities that transcend rigid binaries of gender, religion, ethnicity, and nationality while simultaneously resisting oppressive political and cultural structures. Through symbolic characterization, narrative plurality, and fragmented storytelling, Roy and Shamsie expose the tensions between personal identity and collective ideology. The analysis demonstrates that gender functions not merely as a social category but as a site of political resistance, whereas cultural identity is portrayed as fluid, contested, and continuously reconstructed. Furthermore, the novels reveal the interconnectedness of gender discrimination, religious extremism, state violence, and postcolonial marginalization in shaping contemporary South Asian experiences. The findings contribute to current scholarship by highlighting the evolving role of South Asian English fiction in addressing global concerns related to identity politics, multiculturalism, and human rights. Ultimately, the study concludes that contemporary South Asian literature offers powerful counter-narratives that challenge hegemonic discourses and promote inclusive understandings of identity, justice, and cultural coexistence.