The migration of West Asian writers during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, driven by Ottoman decline, economic precarity, and political repression, catalysed the formation of transnational literary movements and societies that redefined Arabic literature. This study examines how emigrant writers from Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine—collectively termed Mahjar (diaspora) authors—established pioneering literary organizations in the Americas, blending Arab cultural heritage with modernist innovation to forge a distinct diasporic identity. Institutions like New York’s Pen League (Al-Rabita al-Qalamiya) and São Paulo’s Andalusian Society (Al-Usbat al-Andalusiya) played a key role in promoting linguistic experimentation, fostering pan-Arab solidarity, and resisting colonial and Ottoman hegemonies. Important figures such as Khalil Gibran, Mikhail Naimy, and Iliya Abu Madi utilized these literary societies to challenge the rigidity of classical Arabic formalism. They embraced free verse, spiritual universalism, and existential themes that reflected their complex diasporic identities. Gibran’s The Prophet (1923), deeply influenced by the Pen League’s intellectual environment, exemplified this fusion by blending Sufi mysticism with Western Romanticism. Similarly, the Andalusian Society reinterpreted the legacy of Al-Andalus, positioning South America as a fertile ground for Arab intellectual revival. Through this framework, these societies did not merely adapt to their new cultural surroundings but actively reshaped Arab literary modernity, challenging hegemonic narratives of identity, exile, and belonging. This work tries to explore Mahjar literary activism alongside Indian diaspora narratives, highlighting their distinct historical trajectories. While Indian writers engaged with postcolonial identity formation within Anglophone spheres, Mahjar societies prioritized the preservation of Arabic linguistic heritage and anti-imperial resistance. Despite facing marginalization in their host nations, these literary organizations provided Arab migrants with a platform to forge a cohesive transnational identity. Through influential print media such as Al-Funun and Al-Samir, they not only sustained diasporic consciousness but also played a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of modern Arabic literature. This contrast underscores how diasporic literary movements negotiate cultural survival and intellectual agency in response to displacement and colonial legacies. Ultimately, the establishment of Mahjar literary societies underscores migration’s role as a catalyst for cultural innovation. By negotiating exile, nostalgia, and hybridity, West Asian writers reimagined Arabic literature’s global trajectory, leaving an indelible legacy on postcolonial and transnational literary studies.

Migration of West Asian Writers and Their Influences in Establishing Literary Society

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发表日期：

2025年

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Abdul Majeed Theyyan

摘要

The migration of West Asian writers during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, driven by Ottoman decline, economic precarity, and political repression, catalysed the formation of transnational literary movements and societies that redefined Arabic literature. This study examines how emigrant writers from Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine—collectively termed Mahjar (diaspora) authors—established pioneering literary organizations in the Americas, blending Arab cultural heritage with modernist innovation to forge a distinct diasporic identity. Institutions like New York’s Pen League (Al-Rabita al-Qalamiya) and São Paulo’s Andalusian Society (Al-Usbat al-Andalusiya) played a key role in promoting linguistic experimentation, fostering pan-Arab solidarity, and resisting colonial and Ottoman hegemonies. Important figures such as Khalil Gibran, Mikhail Naimy, and Iliya Abu Madi utilized these literary societies to challenge the rigidity of classical Arabic formalism. They embraced free verse, spiritual universalism, and existential themes that reflected their complex diasporic identities. Gibran’s The Prophet (1923), deeply influenced by the Pen League’s intellectual environment, exemplified this fusion by blending Sufi mysticism with Western Romanticism. Similarly, the Andalusian Society reinterpreted the legacy of Al-Andalus, positioning South America as a fertile ground for Arab intellectual revival. Through this framework, these societies did not merely adapt to their new cultural surroundings but actively reshaped Arab literary modernity, challenging hegemonic narratives of identity, exile, and belonging. This work tries to explore Mahjar literary activism alongside Indian diaspora narratives, highlighting their distinct historical trajectories. While Indian writers engaged with postcolonial identity formation within Anglophone spheres, Mahjar societies prioritized the preservation of Arabic linguistic heritage and anti-imperial resistance. Despite facing marginalization in their host nations, these literary organizations provided Arab migrants with a platform to forge a cohesive transnational identity. Through influential print media such as Al-Funun and Al-Samir, they not only sustained diasporic consciousness but also played a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of modern Arabic literature. This contrast underscores how diasporic literary movements negotiate cultural survival and intellectual agency in response to displacement and colonial legacies. Ultimately, the establishment of Mahjar literary societies underscores migration’s role as a catalyst for cultural innovation. By negotiating exile, nostalgia, and hybridity, West Asian writers reimagined Arabic literature’s global trajectory, leaving an indelible legacy on postcolonial and transnational literary studies.