Nussaibah Younis – fundamentalös

In her debut novel *fundamentalös* (Unionsverlag 2026, translated from the English by Jasmin Humburg), the British-Iraqi author Nussaibah Younis – who has gained international renown primarily for her expertise on Iraq and works with several aid organisations – blends her own experiences with sharp wit and a healthy dose of satire. After being dumped by her great love Rosy, her protagonist Nadia decides to take a job with the UN in Iraq to deradicalise IS women there. Yet it soon becomes clear that the greatest obstacles lie not in working with those affected, but in the bureaucracy, self-righteousness and absurdities of international organisations. ‘fundamentalös’ is a novel that is as funny as it is bitterly serious, exploring Western fantasies of aid, moral ambivalence and the impositions of political reality. The book was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2025.

Host: Nina Kunz

Reading: Oriana Schrage