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Worthy: Neoliberalism and Narratives of (Im)migration

Worthy: Neoliberalism and Narratives of (Im)migration

Ahoo Tabatabai
Copyright: © 2021 |Pages: 18
ISBN13: 9781799846642|ISBN10: 1799846644|EISBN13: 9781799846659
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-4664-2.ch002
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MLA

Tabatabai, Ahoo. "Worthy: Neoliberalism and Narratives of (Im)migration." Immigrant Women’s Voices and Integrating Feminism Into Migration Theory, edited by Florence Nyemba and Rufaro Chitiyo, IGI Global, 2021, pp. 21-38. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4664-2.ch002

APA

Tabatabai, A. (2021). Worthy: Neoliberalism and Narratives of (Im)migration. In F. Nyemba & R. Chitiyo (Eds.), Immigrant Women’s Voices and Integrating Feminism Into Migration Theory (pp. 21-38). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4664-2.ch002

Chicago

Tabatabai, Ahoo. "Worthy: Neoliberalism and Narratives of (Im)migration." In Immigrant Women’s Voices and Integrating Feminism Into Migration Theory, edited by Florence Nyemba and Rufaro Chitiyo, 21-38. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2021. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4664-2.ch002

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Abstract

In the chapter, the author outlines how cultural and individual immigrant narratives are shaped by neoliberalism. The author shows that in “doing gratitude,” the continuous effort of appearing grateful, immigrant narratives create a space where native-born individuals can construct themselves into narratives of salvation. The performance of gratitude has several key components that render it compatible with neoliberal ideology. The chapter proposes that narratives play a role in, first, establishing worthiness as defined by neoliberalism (sometimes at the expense of dignity), and second, promising future worthiness (sometimes at the expense of remembering old identities). The author uses Dina Nayeri's The Ungrateful Refugee as an example of a cultural and individual narrative that both challenges and reinforces gendered neoliberal ideals.

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