Jalal Al-e-Ahmad (Persian: جلال آلاحمد; December 2, 1923 – September 9, 1969) was a prominent Iranian novelist, short-story writer, translator, philosopher, socio-political critic, sociologist as well as an anthropologist who was “one of the earliest and most prominent of contemporary Iranian ethnographers”.He popularized the term gharbzadegi – variously translated in English as “westernstruck”, “westoxification”, and “Occidentosis” -, producing a holistic ideological critique of the West “which combined strong themes of Frantz Fanon and Marx”.
Al-e-Ahmad used a colloquial style in prose. In this sense, he is a follower of avant-garde Persian novelists like Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh. Since the subjects of his works (novels, essays, travelogues and ethnographic monographs) are usually cultural, social and political issues, symbolic representations and sarcastic expressions are regular patterns of his books. A distinct characteristic of his writings is his honest examination of subjects, regardless of possible reactions from political, social or religious powers.
On invitation of Richard Nelson Frye, Al-e-Ahmad spent a summer at Harvard University, as part of a Distinguished Visiting Fellowship program established by Henry Kissinger for supporting promising Iranian intellectuals.
Novels and novellas
- The School Principal
- By the Pen
- The Tale of Beehives
- The Cursing of the Land
- A Stone upon a Grave
Many of his novels, including the first two in the list above, have been translated into English.
Short stories
- “The setar”
- “Of our suffering”
- “Someone else’s child”
- “Pink nail-polish”
- “The Chinese flower pot”
- “The postman”
- “The treasure”
- “The Pilgrimage”
- “Sin”
Critical essays
- “Seven essays”
- “Hurried investigations”
- “Plagued by the West” (Gharbzadegi)
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