Abstract
This study offers a pioneering analysis of Yemeni national identity transformation during the 2011–2025 conflict, employing the polysytemic conceptualization of culture as a dynamic, interconnected "system of systems," rejecting the idea of culture as static or homogenous. Through qualitative analysis of academic literature, policy reports, and digital media, this study investigates how conflict in Yemen has transformed national identity through the dynamic interplay of cultural subsystems, and in what ways diverse actors— including Ansarullah (the Houthis), the Southern Transitional Council (STC), tribal groups, and youth—have adapted and reinvented cultural repertoires within this polysystemic framework. Key findings show that conflict has played a significant role in repositioning and reshaping the identity poly-system in Yemen. For example, Houthis capitalized on the conflict to seize power and revive Zaydi rituals; STC has revived pre-unification traditions; tribal structures have strategically adapted to new forms of conflict, and local heritage now merge with global digital practices. By framing identity as a dynamic system of competing subsystems and analyzing communicative practices across multiple media through polysystem approach, the study moves beyond static or sectarian models. It concludes that conflict zones become laboratories of identity innovation, offering a replicable model for understanding identity transformation in other fragmented societies.
Bio
Anees Al-Najjar is an Associate Professor and former Head of the English Department at the University of Ibb, Yemen. His scholarly expertise encompasses English language teaching, comparative literature, and literary translation studies, with a special emphasis on literary influence, identity and cross-cultural dialogue. He is also committed to fostering interdisciplinary connections in both his research and teaching.
At the University of Ibb, Al-Najjar has actively contributed to academic development through numerous workshops on quality assurance for course and program development. He has also mentored numerous students, supervising term papers, theses, and dissertations. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals within the humanities and social sciences, contributing to scholarly discourse in literature and translation studies.
