The Tensions of Belonging
This article examines the tension between political obligation and personal loyalty in the context of exile, drawing on the theories of Judith Shklar and utilizing Hisham Matar’s literary work, My Friends (2023), as a primary analytical framework. Through an interdisciplinary investigation that inte...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Milano University Press
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Balthazar |
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| Online Access: | https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/balthazar/article/view/28598 |
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| _version_ | 1849469592656674816 |
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| author | Chiara Invernizzi |
| author_facet | Chiara Invernizzi |
| author_sort | Chiara Invernizzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article examines the tension between political obligation and personal loyalty in the context of exile, drawing on the theories of Judith Shklar and utilizing Hisham Matar’s literary work, My Friends (2023), as a primary analytical framework. Through an interdisciplinary investigation that interweaves political philosophy, history, and literature, the work examines how exile compels individuals to confront complex moral dilemmas, thereby questioning their relationships with the state, the community, and themselves. The examples presented in the essay provide a contemporary, narrative perspective on the fragmented identity of exile.
The essay highlights how Shklar’s thought, centred on the relationship between rationality and affectivity, offers crucial tools for interpreting the ethical and political challenges that characterize the experience of exile. At the same time, Matar’s work enriches this analysis, highlighting the personal and psychological implications of these dynamics. In conclusion, the article proposes that exile not only represents a condition of loss but also an opportunity to question the meaning of identity, loyalty and belonging in a globalized and fragmented world.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-be021b736c7444c29404fdab38a4639f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2724-3079 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Milano University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Balthazar |
| spelling | doaj-art-be021b736c7444c29404fdab38a4639f2025-08-20T03:25:26ZengMilano University PressBalthazar2724-30792025-07-018110.54103/balthazar/28598The Tensions of BelongingChiara Invernizzi0https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3982-734XRicercatrice indipendenteThis article examines the tension between political obligation and personal loyalty in the context of exile, drawing on the theories of Judith Shklar and utilizing Hisham Matar’s literary work, My Friends (2023), as a primary analytical framework. Through an interdisciplinary investigation that interweaves political philosophy, history, and literature, the work examines how exile compels individuals to confront complex moral dilemmas, thereby questioning their relationships with the state, the community, and themselves. The examples presented in the essay provide a contemporary, narrative perspective on the fragmented identity of exile. The essay highlights how Shklar’s thought, centred on the relationship between rationality and affectivity, offers crucial tools for interpreting the ethical and political challenges that characterize the experience of exile. At the same time, Matar’s work enriches this analysis, highlighting the personal and psychological implications of these dynamics. In conclusion, the article proposes that exile not only represents a condition of loss but also an opportunity to question the meaning of identity, loyalty and belonging in a globalized and fragmented world. https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/balthazar/article/view/28598Political ObligationExileLoyaltyConflict |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Invernizzi The Tensions of Belonging Balthazar Political Obligation Exile Loyalty Conflict |
| title | The Tensions of Belonging |
| title_full | The Tensions of Belonging |
| title_fullStr | The Tensions of Belonging |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Tensions of Belonging |
| title_short | The Tensions of Belonging |
| title_sort | tensions of belonging |
| topic | Political Obligation Exile Loyalty Conflict |
| url | https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/balthazar/article/view/28598 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chiarainvernizzi thetensionsofbelonging AT chiarainvernizzi tensionsofbelonging |