Strange Encounters

This book explores the effects of multiculturalism and globalization on community and embodiment through feminist and postcolonial lenses, challenging conventional views of the stranger and addressing their ethical implications.

Strange Encounters explores the complex interplay between multiculturalism, globalization, and the concepts of embodiment and community through the lenses of feminist and postcolonial theory. The author delves into the ethical and political ramifications of these critiques, particularly in relation to post-colonial feminism. By examining how strangers are perceived and constructed within society, the book challenges the conventional notion that a stranger is merely someone we do not recognize. Instead, it posits that strangers are often socially constructed figures that we feel we already know.

The text analyzes a variety of works that depict the figure of 'the stranger,' highlighting the dual nature of this representation. On one hand, strangers are often viewed as threats, leading to their exclusion in contexts such as neighborhood watch initiatives. On the other hand, they can be celebrated as embodiments of diversity within multicultural frameworks. The author argues that both perspectives are problematic, as they contribute to a phenomenon termed 'stranger fetishism,' which implies that the stranger possesses an independent existence and life.

Ultimately, Strange Encounters invites readers to reconsider their assumptions about strangers and the implications of these assumptions for community dynamics. By critically engaging with the ways in which strangers are framed, the book sheds light on the broader social and political contexts that shape our understanding of identity and belonging in an increasingly globalized world.