Transnational Intersectionality and Identity Disillusionment in Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007)

Abstract

This article examines the prospects of transnational intersectionality and the process of identity transformation in Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007). It particularly focuses on how neoliberal power structures in the aftermath of 9/11 shape individual experiences of inclusion and resistance. Relying on the insights of Aihwa Ong and Sirma Bilge, the study explores how the protagonist’s journey from inclusion to politicized resistance reflects the fragility of American intersectionality. The paper argues that Changez’s opposing stance illustrates the changing dynamics of transnational intersectionality, where personal identity is continually redefined by the intersection of race, class, nationality, and economic utility within the neoliberal global system of power.