Abdulrazak Gurnah

A Tanzanian-British author and professor who illuminated the experiences of refugees and colonialism through literature.

Abdulrazak Gurnah (born 1948) is a Tanzanian-British writer and academic best known for his novels exploring themes of displacement, colonialism, and identity. Born in Zanzibar (then part of Tanganyika, now Tanzania), he fled political persecution in 1964 during the Zanzibar Revolution and settled in England at age 18. His works often reflect the diasporic experience and the complexities of postcolonial societies.

Gurnah’s breakthrough came with his 1994 novel 《Paradise》, which won the Booker Prize shortlist and examines the impact of German colonialism in East Africa. His 2005 novel 《Desertion》 delves into the lives of refugees in post-colonial Uganda and Britain. In 2021, he became the first black African writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature since Wole Soyinka in 1986, recognized for his 'uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents.'

As a professor of English and postcolonial literatures at the University of Kent, Gurnah has also contributed to academic discourse on African literature. His works challenge Eurocentric narratives and amplify marginalized voices. His novels often blend historical and personal narratives, offering a nuanced perspective on identity and belonging. For further reading, explore his Nobel Prize profile or his academic work.