Reconstruction of diversity, Iranian inclusion, Kurdish exclusion and fictions of diasporic agency: An unhyphenated citizenship in Daughters of Smoke and Fire.

This article analyzes Ava Homa's 2020 novel *Daughters of Smoke and Fire*, focusing on how the Islamic government of Iran suppresses religious and linguistic minorities within its national identity framework. It highlights Homa's challenge to the Persian- and Aryan-centered Iranian nationalism by foregrounding Iranian–Kurdish identity and advocating for a more inclusive Iranian–Canadian diasporic identity that embraces marginalized ethnic groups. The article discusses Iran's historical and ongoing policies of linguistic and cultural repression against Kurds, illustrating Kurdish resistance through language, literature, music, and cultural practices depicted in the novel. Additionally, it situates Kurdish experiences within broader discourses of indigeneity and statelessness, drawing parallels with Indigenous peoples in North America to deepen understanding of Kurdish identity and diasporic agency.