Navigating the Liminal Space: Diaspora and Marginalization in the Literary Landscape of Jhumpa Lahiri

Sharma P and Kanaujia S

Published on: 2025-09-08

Abstract

This paper aims to present the complex interplay between diaspora and marginalization in the literary works of Jhumpa Lahiri, with particular focus on her collections Interpreter of Maladies [1] and Unaccustomed Earth [2] and her novel The Namesake [3]. Through close textual analysis and application of postcolonial and diaspora theory, this study argues that Lahiri's narrative strategies illuminate the multifaceted nature of cultural displacement, generational conflict, and identity formation within the Bengali-American diaspora. The research demonstrates how Lahiri's characters navigate liminal spaces between cultures, experiencing various forms of marginalization that extend beyond simple binaries of East and West. The study contributes to contemporary diaspora studies by revealing how second-generation immigrants face unique challenges of belonging that differ significantly from their parents' experiences of displacement.