In Case of Emergency

In Case of Emergency presents a view of Iran that is essentially censored by the US media: it’s contemporary, queer, foul-mouthed, and unapologetic. In terms of the translation method, it is a bold translation that takes a lot of risks while sticking close to the source text. Translating curse words and slang is often considered a losing game, but this translation is all-in. And now, more than ever, it’s time for Iran and the Islamic world to be regarded as fully human-that is, as funny, dark, and fucked-up as Americans. In Case of Emergency (originally in Persian: Negaran nabash, published in 2008) has been widely celebrated in Iran, winning the Golshiri prize-the equivalent of a Pulitzer-among other accolades. Notably, and perhaps surprisingly for those unfamiliar with the capricious nature of the Iranian Ministry of Culture, In Case of Emergency is not a work of underground literature. Mohebali managed to get this text through the censors, despite the fact that arguably it is as critical of the strictures imposed by the Iranian state, as it is of global capitalist society and the gender binary. Includes a translator’s note