Transforming the Ich-Du to the Ich-Es: The Migrant as “Terrorist” in Kabir Khan’s New York and Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire

Terror narratives have been characterized by a dialogism where the “normative” I—i.e. “non-threatening mainstream”—defines and delineates subjects whose identity is centred on their (actual or presumed) location in terror network. This especially so case of Asian migrants who settle down Western countries, as very locates them at precarious point real imagined “terror network.” The migrant no longer Du (Thou), but Es (It), imparting an to Ich (I), denotes “original” citizens country. transactions “I” with “Thou” “It” become significant context immigrants that, for dominant mainstream (the “I”), “terrorist” Es/”It” that has gradually marked its transition from Du/“Thou.” person finds ontological properties gradual movement away “It.” hitherto unbounded transformed into definable “It,” ascribing her/him religion, race, colour, nationality ethnicity. He/she not confronted, every is, rather “experienced” source terror, paper attempts explore transformation figure “migrant terrorist” confronted “imagined/experienced” through analysis New York (2009) Kabir Khan Home Fire (2017) Kamila Shamsie.