Recent Stories

Layla Baalbaki: The Last Existential Feminist

Upon her passing, critics must reintroduce the late author, whose literary legacy was lost in the haze of time
 
Despite her reputation as one of the boldest Lebanese women writers at the peak of her career, Layla Baalbaki’s passing without much coverage on October 21, 2023, though delivering a shock throughout the Arab literary world, did not come as a surprise given the journalist and writer’s retreat from the spotlight since the 60s. Baalbaki was the first Lebanese woman tried in court for “outraging public decency” with her short story collection, “Spaceship of Tenderness to the Moon” (1963). The late writer’s life has been shrouded in mystery since she departed from literary fiction, even more so after her death. As many recall the impact of her works, others speculate on her short-lived literary career in equal fervor: why did Layla Baalbaki stop writing? Did she leave behind any notes or a memoir about her life before her passing? Without the woman herself to confirm or deny, any answers remain mere speculation.

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Our Current Issue

The Legacy of Western Colonialism, Arab Authoritarianism, and Islamic Extremism Taints Image of Secularism

By Elie Chalala
 
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Syrians have been discussing the kind of future government they desire. These discussions have occurred on Facebook and at conferences inside and outside Syria. The 14-year war has intensified these debates, and the identity of the new power in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, has further influenced them. This formerly extremist Islamic group has recently moderated its positions and become more open to various political perspectives. However, the latest development has raised skepticism: the new government has adopted a temporary declaration of constitutional law as its legal foundation, asserting that Islam should be the source of legislation and the president's faith. This has intensified the heated debates surrounding the new state's stance on Islam.
Essays and Features

SHALL I RETURN?

Syrian Poet Rasha Omran Examines the Dilemma Facing Displaced Syrians
By Elie Chalala
 
“Will the Syrians return?” remains a loaded question as Syria takes its first steps on the long road to recovery after half a century under tyranny. Syrian author and poet Rasha Omran poses that very question in the title of her article, “Will the Syrians Return?” published in Arabic in Diffah 3. Her story resonates with many Syrians who left the country, but rather than focus on why many chose to leave, Omran touches on the delicate issues faced by those considering returning from displacement once conditions allow.
Essays and Features

‘About the Happiness of the Oppressed’:

As the Assad Regime’s Collapse Looms, Riham Essa Reflects on the Complex Emotions Among Syrians
By Elie Chalala
 
In a blog essay published in Al Modon newspaper, Syrian short story writer and author Riham Essa touches the surface of the complex emotions she, and perhaps other Syrians, have felt in the wake of the Assad regime’s fallout as the country contemplates its new beginning. Syria, she writes, “has never been a homeland, especially after 2011."
Essays and Features

In the Face of Syria’s Suffering, Basma al-Khatib Calls for Silence from the Bystanders and Naysayers

By Elie Chalala
 
“The least we can do at this critical historical moment is to respect the suffering of the Syrians (and the suffering of everyone who was tortured by the Syrian Baath regime, regardless of their nationality) and to remain silent for a while. To come to grips with all this suffering, pain, loss of reason, and torture, we perhaps need a long time,” writes Basma Al-Khatib, a Lebanese writer and novelist.  
Essays and Features

Algeria's Curtailing of Freedom of Expression Sparks Outcry from Critics, Intellectuals, and Politicians Following Author Boualem Sansal's Arrest

By Naomi Pham
 
The sudden arrest of award-winning Algerian-French author Boualem Sansal and the ensuing silence regarding his release have produced a global outcry, bringing literary, cultural, and political circles to the writer’s defense. Sansal becomes the second author to agitate Algeria’s political and literary scene in recent months, next to fellow Algerian-French writer Kamel Daoud, whose recent legal tangle over his Prix Goncourt-winning novel “Houris” remains ongoing. Both cases raise apprehensions among critics and writers over Algeria’s course toward further restrictions on freedoms, especially concerning criticisms of the country’s history amid current talks about Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara.
 
Essays and Features

‘Is There an Arab Culture?’

Long History of Pluralism, Decentralization, Pragmatism Underpins ‘Arab Culture’ Debate
By 
Elie Chalala
 
Rarely do we read a cultural or even general-interest publication without encountering discussions questioning whether an Arab culture exists, and if it exists, whether it is in decline. I found no exception when recently perusing Al Jazeera’s online cultural section. We do not need to look far into the article, as its title speaks for itself: “Is There an Arab Culture?” The article is by Dr.

Dreadful Days in Lebanon: The Invisible and Visible Scars of War

By 
Elie Chalala
 
Discussing and analyzing the catastrophic disaster that hit Lebanon is difficult. I am connected to the subject on two levels: intellectually and emotionally. Hamas' "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" and Hezbollah's "Operation of Solidarity" have been viewed as irresponsible, and their military consequences questionable, with the conflict leaving unprecedented emotional scars on many Lebanese.

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.

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.

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.

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