Reading across borders: Afghans, Iranians, and literary nationalism: by Aria Fani, Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2024, pp. 264. $55.00, ISBN: 9781477328811.

The book *Reading Across Borders: Afghans, Iranians, and Literary Nationalism* explores how Persian literature shared by Iran and Afghanistan evolved into a form of nationalist expression in the modern era. It challenges the conventional Iran-centric view by emphasizing transnational literary exchan...

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Publicado en:Central Asian Survey Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 139 - 142
Autor principal: Atar, Emrah
Formato: Book Review
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd Mar2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Reading across borders: Afghans, Iranians, and literary nationalism: by Aria Fani, Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2024, pp. 264. $55.00, ISBN: 9781477328811.
      aug:
        au: Atar, Emrah
        affil: Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Recep Tayyip Eerdogan University, Rize, Türkiye
      su:
        Iran
        Afghanistan
        Language planning
        National character
        Cultural nationalism
        Nationalism in literature
        Afghans
      sug:
        subj:
          Language planning
          National character
          Cultural nationalism
          Iran
          Afghanistan
          Nationalism in literature
          Afghans
      ab: The book *Reading Across Borders: Afghans, Iranians, and Literary Nationalism* explores how Persian literature shared by Iran and Afghanistan evolved into a form of nationalist expression in the modern era. It challenges the conventional Iran-centric view by emphasizing transnational literary exchanges and the institutionalization of literature through individuals, associations, and platforms. The author analyzes shifts in literary concepts such as 'adab' and 'adabiyat' and compares language policies under Iran’s Pahlavi regime and Afghanistan’s bilingual state structure, highlighting their impact on national identity. While the work offers rich archival research and a nuanced critique of nationalism’s cultural effects, it gives limited attention to Afghanistan’s internal literary diversity, ethnic complexities, and the roles of women and lower socio-economic groups. Overall, the book provides a valuable framework for understanding the intertwined literary histories of Iran and Afghanistan and the broader relationship between literature, identity, and power.
      pubtype: Review
      doctype: Book Review
      src: R
    language: English
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