From Riots to Roots: Identity and Belonging in In Our Mad and Furious City
摘要
Concluding the exploration of identity, this chapter analyzes Guy Gunaratne’s In Our Mad and Furious City, set against the backdrop of the 2013 riots, inspired by the real-life murder of Lee Rigby. The novel explores how urban geography, particularly the fictional Stones Estate, shapes the identities of first- and second-generation immigrants, who grapple with race, religion, and belonging. The chapter uses neo-racism and generational conflict to examine the younger generation’s struggle with post-9/11 Islamophobia and economic hardship, similar to themes in Londonstani. Through performative identity, including Multicultural London English (MLE) and grime music, the characters resist societal exclusion and redefine themselves within a divided environment. Gunaratne critiques the limits of multiculturalism, showing how moments of civil unrest, such as the 2013 riots, expose the fragility of belonging, while also suggesting the potential for hybrid identities to emerge in cities that foster cultural expression amid conflict.