| This research can be seen as a case study on the autonomy of literature, concerning the way in which literature, the literary field and the public debate relate to each other. The main question is whether the fact that a novel contains representations of Muslims and Islam has any consequences for the way in which these novels are positioned and evaluated within and outside the literary field. The hypothesis so far is that representations of Muslims and Islam in novels cause a dynamics in which these novels will function not only as literary artifacts but also as contributions to a heated public debate. Authors will have to position their work in these dynamics and might either choose to (a) wholly position their work as a contribution to the public debate, or (b) reject the idea that their literature can or should contribute to the public debate and embrace a more l art pour l art-attitude. Likewise, authors will find that, having introduced representations of Islam and Muslims in their literary work, they are asked or even expected to contribute to the public debate in person. Part of the research focuses on the ways in which the cultural background of the authors of these novels, many of whom stem from one of the Muslim minorities in Dutch society, influences the evaluation and the position-taking of these authors and their work. |
