Gendered Biopolitics of Trauma in Afghan Women’s Narratives

Contemporary Afghan fiction in English is attracting global
attention for its portrayal of Afghanistan’s social and political
realities. This article examines gendered trauma in Khaled
Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner, and
Nadia Hashimi’s When the Moon is Low through the lens of
biopolitics. Biopolitics explains how modern power systems
From Text to Screen: English Language in Arts and Media
regulate human life, bodies, and behaviour using institutions
and cultural norms. Afghanistan’s wars, entrenched patriarchal
traditions, and ongoing forced migration have shaped individual
lives, especially those of women. Through the experiences of
Mariam, Laila, and Fereiba, these novels show how women
become subjects of social control and political authority. They
also depict resilience, solidarity, and survival. This paper argues
that trauma in these novels goes beyond personal experience; it
reflects broader power structures that govern life. Examining
these works together reveals how Afghan fiction provides a
space to understand suffering, resistance, and endurance in
conflict-marked societies.
Keywords: Afghan literature, Society, Power, Revolt, Gender