Essays and Features

‘We Do Not Live in Tragedy, We Live From It’:

Lebanese Media Turns National Failures into Myths of Triumph, Confusing Devastation with False Glory

By

Elie Chalala

Marwan Harb’s "We Do Not Live in Tragedy, We Live From It"* presents a multi-layered thesis that combines culture, psychology, and politics. In his essay published in Al Modon, Harb explores how tragedy is transformed into art, humor, and ritual, for "the Lebanese transform tragedy into the essence of their existence: Instead of living in tragedy, they draw life from it."

This phenomenon is evident across social media.

In Sickness and Silence: Arab Writers and Artists Between Pain and Power

By Elie Chalala

I grew up in Hazmièh, a small town east of Beirut, Lebanon's capital, during the early 1960s. Our rented apartment was situated near a modest multi-unit residential building, known as the Wadih El Safi building, named after the celebrated Lebanese singer who owned it. At the time, Wadih El Safi (1921-2013) was renowned for his wealth and fame, a reputation that endured after I immigrated to and settled in the United States. Wadih El Safi's later life is notable for his declaration of bankruptcy just a year before his death. He attributes his financial troubles to a monopoly contract he signed with Rotana, a Saudi Arabian record label and the music division of the Rotana Media Group.

Essays and Features

‘Beirut… the Fragility That Guards Memory’

Syrian Novelist Samar Yazbek Perceives Lebanon’s Identity as Shaped by Openness Rather Than Stability

By

Elie Chalala

Samar Yazbek’s analysis of Beirut aligns with that of a political and cultural historian, uncovering previously hidden and lesser-known aspects of the city. In her analysis of "Beirut... The Fragility That Guards Memory,"* published in The New Arab, Yazbek assumes the roles of historian, political scientist, and chronicler of the city, uncovering the lesser-known aspects of the Lebanese capital's modern history.

A Syrian Surgeon and Novelist Returns to a 'Country Once Called Syria'

Khalil al-Neimi Exposes What Tyranny Has Done to His Homeland

By Elie Chalala

I feel an affinity with Khalil al-Neimi, the author and novelist. Like him, I left my country, Lebanon, in 1972, and often thought about what I left behind. I gradually lost the desire to return, and later, after making a short visit back, I gave up on the idea altogether after being away for 38 years. Neimi and I differ on why it took us a long time to return (for me, 38 years, and for him, 50 years). It has been 53 years now since I departed Lebanon.

Essays and Features

Dismantling the Politicization of the Veil:

Samar Yazbek on Syria’s Oppressive History of Manufacturing Female Vulnerability

By

Naomi Pham

The questions of freedom and equality remain on the minds of many Syrians as the country navigates not only change, emerging from the Assad regime’s decades-long grasp, but also the recent tragedies of the coastal massacres. Liberating the country from tyranny extends beyond resolving its systemic judicial and political issues, but must also be re-examined from a fundamental human rights perspective.

Life Suspended Between Sorrow and Loss:

Nesrine Akram Khoury on the Trauma of Displacement in ‘A Room Between Two Massacres’

By Naomi Pham

“We were surprised by the other, the room, and me. I took a small space from it, just enough to open my laptop and resume the life I had left behind, hungry and afraid. The room, in turn, took two years of my life.” In this poetic portrait of life caught between war, displacement, and cyclical violence, Nesrine Akram Khoury’s “A Room Between Two Massacres”* dredges up painful memories that may resonate with many despite their intensely personal nature.

Essays and Features

Societal Perceptions on Gender and Marketability Shaped by Trends and Jury Preferences — A Disappointing Future for Literary Prizes

By

Naomi Pham

Not a year goes by without the same discussions questioning the authenticity of literary prize culture in the Arab world. Since its inception in 2007, the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF), often referred to as the Arabic Booker Prize, has been the subject of scrutiny among literary critics and authors. Ghazlan Touati's article "The 'Booker' and Arab Women Writers...

Waciny Laredj Reflects on the Ambiguous Nature of Nationalism and Algerian Literature in French

By Elie Chalala

Language is not just a means of expression; it shapes identity and offers a broader, more complex connection to culture. In his essay “Arabic Literature in French: A Confusing Classification,”* published in Al Quds Al Arabi, Algerian novelist Waciny Laredj unravels the complex relationship between Arab writers, the French language, and identity. Language, he writes, is not merely a tool of expression — for many, it is a “home” and a determinant of cultural and intellectual vision, especially among writers who adopted French, whether by necessity or strategic choice, whose Arab identities were erased and sidelined in the literary world.

Essays and Features

Syrian Novelist Reflects on Exile, Alienation, and War Devastation:

Syria Strips Away Symbols of the Old Regime to Reveal the Layers of Hell Beneath Damascus

By Elie Chalala

Syrian novelist Samar Yazbek recently returned to Syria and has written and given interviews on exile, displacement, fear, alienation, and the devastation of war. Having lived in displacement for nearly a decade, the thought of returning frequently occupied her mind. Her essay, “In Damascus, a Steep Road Leads to Hell,”* published in the New Arab newspaper, covers her experience as a returnee.

Essays and Features

Breaking the Silence on Syria’s Prison Discussion: Can ‘Museums of Silence’ Become a Symbol of Survival and Remembrance?

By

Elie Chalala

A reader may wonder why I am so captivated by prison literature. Personally and professionally, I have had to address this valid question with deep conviction, as it lies at the heart of Middle Eastern and Arab studies. Yet, I find it challenging to offer a concise answer for several reasons. One stems from my doctoral research on Syrian politics, where the themes of prisons and prisoners featured prominently.

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