At the Intersection of Politics and Science Fiction: Illuminating Concepts of Spatial Justice in Two Novels, 'Alif the Unseen' and 'Ajwan'

There is growing interest in genre science fiction in the Arab world, evident from the Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC), and the increase in the number of Arab science fiction novels being published. However, scholars have paid little attention to this emerging literary field. This paper seeks to understand some of the politics in studying and writing about Arab science fiction in academia. This paper also provides an in-depth analysis of two Arab science fiction novels that can be read as forms of critical literature. These novels engage readers in the process of speculatively imagining how everyday spaces in society have the potential to act as foundations for resistance and emancipation. Using the metaphor of a spaceship to represent each text, this paper argues that there is a strong relationship between social justice and space in both novels, providing readers with a new understanding of spatial justice.