Childhood in Crisis: Semiotic Representations of Children in Arabic Literature on War and Displacement

Abstract

The contemporary Arab world has experienced numerous humanitarian crises caused by war, occupation, forced migration, and political instability, all of which have had profound impacts on the lives of children. In this context, Arabic literature serves as an important medium for representing experiences of trauma, loss, and hope among younger generations living amid conflict. This study aims to analyze the semiotic representations of children in Arabic literary works that address themes of war and displacement. The research employs a qualitative approach through library research, utilizing Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory and Yuri Lotman’s cultural semiotics. The data consist of contemporary Arabic novels, short stories, and literary narratives portraying children’s experiences in situations of conflict and forced migration. The findings reveal four dominant semiotic constructions of children: as symbols of innocence violated by violence, symbols of resilience and resistance, carriers of collective memory, and representations of national future aspirations. In addition, refugee spaces such as camps, borders, and lost homes function as cultural signs that shape children’s identities and experiences. These findings demonstrate that Arabic literature transforms childhood into a complex semiotic category through which humanitarian trauma is articulated, collective memory is preserved, and visions of the future are imagined amid prolonged socio-political crises.