Representations of the Asian Other in Contemporary Saudi Fiction: The Self–Other Dialectic

This study explores how contemporary Saudi fiction represents the Asian Other، using a descriptive-analytical approach informed by image studies، cultural criticism، and postcolonial theory. While modern Arab literary criticism often focuses on the Western Other، the Asian Other remains understudied despite its significant presence in Saudi society. The analysis examines seven novels by authors from various generations and backgrounds. It finds that the depiction of the Asian Other is multidimensional، constructed across three interconnected levels: its geographic context، its role within the social space of the self، and its function in narrative discourse. The findings indicate that the image of the Asian Other in Saudi narratives is complex and formed by spatial، social، and discursive factors. The analysis shows that this image shifts between entrenched stereotypes and moments of humanisation or conditional recognition، reflecting changes in how the narrative self perceives itself and the Other. The results highlight that the interplay of difference and distinction fundamentally shapes narrative identity، modifying its boundaries in response to contemporary cultural changes.