Tradizing, tradition, translation, and becoming other: the micro-story in the context of arabic literature

Abstract

This article explores the microfiction genre within the context of contemporary Arabic literature, focusing on its sociological, formal, and performative dimensions. It argues that the rise of microfiction is closely tied to recent technological and social shifts, particularly the influence of the internet and the resulting demand for concise yet aesthetically rich writing. Though microfiction has Western origins, it resonates with traditional Arabic narrative forms, granting it a hybrid and transnational identity. Through the analysis of micro-stories by Saudi author Abdullah Nasser — especially those that employ self-referential and metafictional strategies — the article reflects on identity, subjectivity, and the performance inherent in writing and translation. Drawing parallels with Brazilian author Dalton Trevisan, it highlights aesthetic and thematic similarities across literary traditions, underlining the political potential of subject-focused narratives. In this context, translation is conceived as performance and bodily transformation, creating a new corpus from the interplay between languages, authors, and readers.