Essays and Features

Literary Awards Determined by Craftsmanship or Politics?

Imprisoned Palestinian Author Basim Khandaqji’s Win Reignites Old Questions About Booker Prize Standards

By

Naomi Pham

It would be remiss to overlook the significance that this year’s chosen winner for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (Booker), one of the Arab world’s most prestigious literary awards, was written by an imprisoned Palestinian writer. When the prize committee announced the victory of Basim Khandaqji’s “A Mask, the Color of the Sky” (Dar al-Adab, 2023) in April, six months after Israel’s attacks on Gaza began, media outlets were quick to recognize Khandaqji’s daunting feat of publishing from jail.

An Algerian Intellectual on Once-‘Arab Leftist Radicals’!

The Modern Arab Intellectual Forsakes Ideological Integrity, Following the Footsteps of Previous Enemies Who Accuse Him of Takfir and Treason

By Elie Chalala

Were I to sum up Amin Zaoui’s position on the Arab leftist intellectuals, who nowadays are considered part of the mumanah alliance — that is, Arab intellectuals who support the positions of Iran, Hezbollah, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen — a word of caution about the terminology used must be clarified: a distinction exists between today’s leftists and those of the 1960s, 1970s, and even part of the 1980s. Today’s leftists tend to be vulgar and lack the theoretical sophistication of their previous iterations. These critiques by Amin Zaoui, an Algerian novelist and essayist whose commentaries appear weekly in Independent Arabia, analyze the two mumanah generations, particularly emphasizing the contemporary generation of leftists who grew up in the new millennium and its current trends.

Essays and Features

Trapped in the Cage of the Past, Algeria Must Navigate the Line Between Memory and Moving Forward as Paris Olympics Stirs French-Algerian Wounds

By

Naomi Pham

Algeria has much to celebrate with the end of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, taking the podium in gymnastics, boxing, and athletics. Yet while the country celebrates the victories, its athletes share the spotlight with headlines focusing on the country’s history with France.

Novel 'Houaria' Forces Algerian Critics into a Literary-Ideological Battle Armed with Morality and Ethics

By

Naomi Pham

A familiar debate has critics and writers up in arms in the Arab world once again: What place does ‘taboo’ have in art? Ethics, morality, and the sensibilities of the contemporary age are yet more factors that play into creative production these days.

Lebanon’s Civilian ‘Veterans’ Cope Differently Than Younger Generations in the Current Conflict!

By Elie Chalala

Lebanon has been no stranger to war and its memory, steeped in countless wars internally and externally throughout the past century. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza and southern Lebanon in October 2023, tensions have teetered a fragile line, a constant wave of insurmountable anxiety and fear — of the war’s escalation, dwindling comforts of security, and the country’s uncertain future. Despite efforts to keep panic at bay, the state of anxiety has skyrocketed amid foreign embassies’ calls for their citizens to leave Lebanon for security reasons.

Essays and Features

How ‘Good Old Days’ Nostalgia Enables Neglect and Complacency in Lebanon’s Elite Throughout Countless Crises

By

Al Jadid Staff

When Lebanon is in crisis, and even when it is not, laypeople and some experts rush to use popularized and romanticized explanations suggesting that the country is experiencing something unprecedented. They reminisce and claim Lebanon had a much better time in the “good old days.” If the crises are financial and economic, they proclaim that Lebanon enjoyed economic growth, stability, high employment, and increased incomes in the pre-crisis days.

The Late Khaled Khalifa Hoped for Remedy and Redemption of the Arab Literary Prize Through Transparency

By Elie Chalala

Syrian novelist Khaled Khalifa’s sudden death last year in his Damascus home shocked the Arab literary world. The novelist, screenwriter, and poet has enraptured critics through his works, especially with his 2006 novel “In Praise of Hatred,” which was banned by the Syrian government. Khalifa’s passing at 59 leaves friends and acquaintances mourning the many words the writer left unsaid. At the same time, it becomes ever more prudent to heed his words, especially regarding the Arab literary prizes.

Essays and Features

‘Unimaginative’ Digital Age: What Can Arab Cultural Journalism Learn?

By

Al Jadid Staff

The Information Revolution and the spread of the internet and social media have had severe repercussions for cultural services as we know them. The loss of numerous publications remains one symptom of the many changes sweeping across the Arab world, which recently witnessed the closure of another publication, the Qatari cultural magazine Doha.

Grand Prix de la Francophonie Marks Pinnacle of Abdelfattah Kilito’s Profound Impact on Ancient Arabic Literary Traditions

By Al Jadid Staff

Moroccan literary scholar and writer Abdelfattah Kilito’s efforts in spreading recognition for Arabic literature have been honored again in the form of the Grand Prix de la Francophonie, one of two prestigious prizes awarded annually by the French Academy. The award, which marks Kilito’s second prize from the French Academy since he received the French Academy Award in 1996, celebrates the author for his contributions to developing the French language worldwide. A renowned Arabic literary critic, Kilito has authored several books in Arabic and French, devoting himself to safeguarding ancient Arabic literature. His book “Thou Shalt Not Speak My Language” (2002) remains a valuable resource for scholars on the Arabic literary tradition, establishing him as one of the greatest Arab and Francophone writers.

Essays and Features

‘Little Prince,’ Poet and Artist Hassan Abdallah Evoked the Beauty of Nature Through Boundless Streams of Vibrant, Passionate, Paradoxical Language

By

Elie Chalala

After his passing in 2022, poets, intellectuals, and journalists offered their eulogies of the Lebanese poet Hassan Abdallah (1943-2022), who captivated readers with his words. Among those honoring him were Shawqi Bzay, Abbas Beydoun, Jawdat Fakhreddine, Talal Salman, and others. Without exception, Abdallah’s colleagues and friends remember him as a humble man, one who preferred to remain in the shadows and shun the limelight, festivals, and fiery speeches.

You are here

Essays and Features

Pages