Postcolonial Goals and Human Rights Violations in Roy Scranton's novel War Porn

الملخص

This study analyzes Roy Scranton’s 2016 novel, War Porn, to uncover how the 2003 US invasion altered the lives of the Iraqi people. In doing so, it explores the deeply problematic nature of the American presence in Iraq following the conflict.

Postcolonial literature traditionally challenges the political and economic dominance of colonial powers, shedding light on the destructive consequences of occupation for both the local population and their homeland. War Porn functions as an exemplary postcolonial novel, uniquely authored by an American veteran who actively took part in the very military campaign his narrative critiques. It stands out among celebrated American war fiction for dedicating substantial narrative weight to the experiences of major Iraqi characters, thereby directly illustrating the devastating impact of modern colonialism on Iraq and its citizens.