Fawzia Afzal-Khan

Fawzia Afzal-Khan is a professor of English and a writer who specializes in postcolonial studies, feminism, and political Islam. She currently serves as the director of the Women and Gender Studies Program at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Her academic work explores complex themes through monographs, edited volumes, and various journal articles.

Early life and education

Afzal-Khan was born in 1958 in Lahore, Pakistan. She began her academic journey at Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore, where she earned her BA. After completing her undergraduate studies, she moved to the United States to pursue higher education. She obtained both her MA and her PhD in English Literature from Tufts University.

Career

As a University Distinguished Professor, Afzal-Khan holds a prominent position at Montclair State University. She contributes to the scholarly community by serving on the editorial board of Pakistaniaat: A Journal of Pakistan Studies. This journal published an interview with her in 2009 that was conducted by Nilanshu Kumar Agarwal. In 2011, the same journal released a special cluster of articles regarding her memoir.

Her extensive bibliography includes several significant publications. She authored the book Cultural Imperialism and the Indo-English Novel Genre and Ideology in R. K. Narayan, Anita Desai, Kamala Markandaya, and Salman Rushdie in 1993. She also co-edited The Pre-occupation of Postcolonial Studies with Kalpana Seshadri-Crooks in 2000. Other works include Shattering the stereotypes: Muslim women speak out from 2005 and A critical stage: the role of secular alternative theatre in Pakistan, which was also released in 2005. Her later publications include Pakistani creative writing in English in 2011 and Siren Song: Understanding pakistan through its women singers in 2020.

The publication of her memoir, Lahore with Love: Growing up with Girlfriends Pakistani Style, became a focal point of academic debate. Syracuse University Press originally published the book in 2010. The work received praise from scholars such as Nawal El Saadawi and Henry Louis Gates Jr. However, the press later dropped the book because they feared a lawsuit from a prominent Pakistani woman. This individual claimed that a character in the text was based on her. This decision sparked controversy regarding free speech within academic circles—leading Richard Schechner and Katherine Lieder to criticize the press in The Drama Review. Afzal-Khan eventually published the memoir independently through Amazon.

Personal life

Afzal-Khan's memoir provides a personal look at her upbringing in Lahore. The book explores her experiences growing up with girlfriends in a Pakistani context. She has since used various platforms, including public blogs and newspapers, to discuss social issues.

Awards and recognition

In 2008, the American Muslim Alliance presented Afzal-Khan with The Excellence in Public Life Award. This honor recognized her contributions to her field and her public engagement.