Writing the City: Reclaiming Space and Identity in David Dabydeen’s "Our Lady of Demerara"

This chapter explores how David Dabydeen’s Our Lady of Demerara (2004) uses spatiality to examine identity, displacement, and the reclaiming of self and place. Drawing on theories of location and relocation by Homi Bhabha, Yi-Fu Tuan’s distinction between space and place, and Henri Lefebvre’s production of space, the chapter argues that writing serves as a tool to interact with and transform space. The protagonist, Lance, experiences dislocation in Coventry, which feels cold and alien. This city becomes not just a physical space but a mental state of loss and alienation. However, through writing, Lance reshapes his perception of Coventry, turning it from a void into a meaningful space. This process aligns with Lefebvre’s concept that space is dynamic and continually shaped by human actions. The chapter draws parallels to Ewald Mengel’s interdisciplinary approach to Ivan Vladislavic’s literary works, where cityscapes and “hidden histories” emerge through narrative. Similarly, the exploration of Demerara as a symbolic place tied to memory and identity resonates with María Jesús Perea Villena’s analysis of Peter Ackroyd’s The Lambs of London, where characters navigate both physical and imaginary spaces. In Our Lady of Demerara, Dabydeen illustrates the relationship between space, identity, and storytelling. Writing allows Lance to reclaim Coventry’s urban landscape and Demerara’s imagined spaces, transforming dislocation into agency. Ultimately, the novel reveals that space is not merely a place to traverse, but something individuals reshape, produce, and imbue with meaning through their narratives