Interdisciplinary Studies of Literature, Arts and Humanities

Co-constituting the Self and the City: A Chronotopic Analysis of Raja Alem’s The Dove's Necklace

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Kareem Lowaymi Mutlaq 1
Maryam Baghlani 2

1 Assistant Professor of English Language and Literature, Department of English Language and Literature, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

2 MA Graduate in English Language and Literature, Department of English Language and Literature, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22077/islah.2026.9394.1644
Abstract
This study examines the reciprocal relationship between urban transformation in Mecca and the constitution of identity in Raja Alem’s contemporary Saudi novel, The Dove's Necklace (2010). While existing scholarship frequently addresses the marginalization of women or the sociocultural erosion resulting from Mecca’s urbanization, it often overlooks the mutually constitutive dynamic between the city and its inhabitants. This paper argues that the rapid redevelopment of Mecca precipitates simultaneous and interconnected transformations in both its physical landscape and its characters’ subjectivities. The analysis employs a chronotopic framework, drawing on Bakhtin’s concept of the chronotope to demonstrate how Mecca’s space and time and the characters' sense of self are intrinsically linked and co-productive. By operationalizing the chronotope within a tangible, physical context, this study addresses a critical gap in literary scholarship. Consequently, it not only elucidates the complexity of Alem’s narrative but also positions The Dove's Necklace within global discourses on urbanization, cultural heritage, and the negotiation of identity, thereby underscoring the significance of contemporary Middle Eastern literature for an international readership.

Keywords

Contemporary Saudi Literature
Chronotope
Bakhtin
Urbanization
Identity
Cultural Heritage
Space and Time
Subjects

  • Receive Date 15 May 2025
  • Revise Date 22 January 2026
  • Accept Date 21 February 2026

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