Orientalismus, umgepolt? Zum Gebrauch des Exotismus und des Fantastischen in Werken der Diaspora-Literatur

A noted feature of many works of German-language diasporic literature is the use of the exotic, the fantastic, of myth and fable. Such elements tend to be viewed as part of a process of intercultural encounter, in which authors present 'their' culture, often using traditional narrative modes, in order to raise awareness of their migration backgrounds amongst German readers. This essay demonstrates that the use made of these elements is more differentiated and strategic than has hitherto generally been acknowledged, ranging from the de-exoticisation of the 'other' through encoded social criticism to the deliberate undermining of Orientalist attitudes through an ironic play with Orientalist expectations of migrant literature