Rewriting East-West Encounters in Daughter of the East

Abstract

This study examines the representation of East–West encounters in Benazir Bhutto’s memoir Daughter of the East and highlights her commitment to equality, democracy, and global justice. The research analyzes the geopolitical and cultural insights presented in the memoir within the framework of postcolonial theory, particularly drawing upon the ideas of David Huddart and Chandra Talpade Mohanty. Huddart’s discussions of autobiographical postcolonialism and Mohanty’s critique of Western feminist discourse provide the theoretical basis for evaluating Bhutto’s challenge to dominant Western narratives and her call for mutual respect, equality, and autonomy in international relations. The study explores how Daughter of the East reflects Bhutto’s perspective on global politics, gender relations, and democratic ideals within a postcolonial context. It particularly focuses on how Bhutto, as a South Asian Muslim woman leader, reconfigures prevailing discourses on power and identity. The research argues that the memoir contests Western hegemonic assumptions that often marginalize non-Western intellectual and political voices. Using a qualitative and analytical methodology, the study demonstrates that Bhutto’s narrative promotes intercultural understanding and advocates a more balanced global order grounded in justice and equality. The findings reveal her resistance to political and cultural domination and emphasize the significance of non-Western perspectives in reshaping contemporary political and feminist discourse. Ultimately, this study contributes to postcolonial feminist scholarship by foregrounding the role of marginalized voices in redefining global narratives.