Imagology of the East in the Works of Elchin Safarli

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Department of Russian Language, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Imagology is an interdisciplinary branch of comparative literature that examines how the culture of the “Self” represents the “Other,” and, conversely, how the “Self” is portrayed within the literature of the “Other.” This field investigates the formation, transmission, and impact of such images on individual and collective identities within linguistic and cultural frameworks. Employing the theoretical framework of imagology, the present study analyzes the representation of the East in the works of Elchin Safarli (b. 1984), a contemporary Azerbaijani Russian writer and journalist. Safarli’s Russian language narratives, noted for their emotive and multilayered simplicity, have earned a distinctive place among contemporary bestsellers. His major thematic concerns include personal crises, loneliness, migration, and intergenerational bonds. In Safarli’s oeuvre, the depiction of the East transcends geographical boundaries, functioning instead as a multifaceted symbol of identity, experience, and cultural relations that acquires meaning within the context of intercultural dialogue. Through this symbolism, Safarli invites readers into a richly emotional and nostalgic world. This research aims to explore the representation of the East as the image of the “Other” in Safarli’s works in order to deepen understanding of contemporary cultural identity and literary migration discourse. It demonstrates that Safarli’s portrayal of the East arises from a complex interplay of stereotypes, narratives, and sociocultural experiences, which together contribute to constructing a renewed and nuanced image of the “Other.”

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Research in Contemporary World Literature
Volume 31, Issue 1
April 2026
Pages 59-78

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