ABSTRACT

Teju Cole’s novel Open City holds up to scrutiny the consequences of the traumatic events of the September 11 terrorist attacks, specifically the Twin Towers in New York City. In a post-9/11 scenario, the limitations of the goals, claims, and outcomes of globalization and cosmopolitanism become manifest, especially when they intersect with the categories of race and religious faith. Ultimately, Open City invites an exploration of the metaphor of openness. The title’s military reference may declare openness, but physical cordons, barriers, police checkpoints, and detention centers constitute an array of security measures designed to barricade the Western metropolis against a perceived Other. The city is not unproblematically open.

摘要

Teju Cole 的小说《开放城市》证实了 9 月 11 日恐怖袭击的创伤性事件的后果，特别是纽约市的双子塔。在 9/11 之后的情景中，全球化和世界主义的目标、主张和结果的局限性变得明显，尤其是当它们与种族和宗教信仰类别相交时。最终，开放城市邀请了对开放隐喻的探索。标题的军事参考可能宣称开放，但物理警戒线、障碍、警察检查站和拘留中心构成了一系列安全措施，旨在为西方大都市设置路障，防止被感知的他者。这座城市并非毫无问题地开放。