Interviews

Farewell Faleh Abdul-Jabar (1946-2018): An Interview with Iraqi Sociologist on Tribalism, Baathism/Pre-Saddam Democracy

By Sabah Zwein

Interviews

War as Backdrop to Teenage Antics Brings Beirut to American Audiences

By

Kate Seelye

Reckoning with Darkness: Looking Back on Algeria’s Dark Decade

By

Bobby Gulshan

The Algerian Civil War began in 1991 and ended in 2002. Known as the Dark Decade, the period began with a coup to nullify the imminent takeover of government by Islamists and was followed by 10 years of brutality, violence, and fear. With the emergence of Da’esh (or the Islamic State), we now witness contemporary scenes that feel all too familiar for those who remember the earlier terrors. As too often happens, the geopolitical lens obscures the human element, abstracting suffering into discussions about strategy and policy. Salem Brahimi’s film, “Let Them Come,”1 takes us back to the Dark Decade, with a vocabulary and tone so reminiscent of our present moment, providing us with a poignant and at times chilling window into the lives of ordinary Algerians.

Q&A with Director and Writer Reine Mitri on Her Banned Film “In this Land Lay Graves of Mine”

By

Angele Ellis

Angele Ellis, who reviews Reine Mitri’s “In this Land Lay Graves of Mine” in the forthcoming issue of Al Jadid, conducted a Q&A through e-mail with the film’s director. Ms. Mitri responded to questions about her changing attachment to and perceptions of Lebanon after making this personal documentary, the advantages (or disadvantages) of being a female filmmaker, and her artistic influences and inspirations. When asked about the effects of the ban the Lebanese government has imposed on this film, Ms. Mitri replied that censorship would not affect its reception, distribution, or inclusion in international film festivals. Perhaps her answer speaks volumes on how the world views Lebanon’s standards of censorship.

Etab Hreib on Conflict, Commercialism , and Sexism in Syria’s Current Art Movement

By

Rebecca Joubin

In the this interview with the critically acclaimed Syrian watercolorist, Etab Hreib, she discusses the interrelated nature of the arts in the context of her own love for the theater and set design, and details various influences on her work.

Critically acclaimed Syrian watercolorist, Etab Hreib, a native of Der-Ez-Zor, graduated from the Graphic Arts Department of the University of Damascus. Since then, she has exhibited her work in various parts of the world. She was the recipient of the Al-Mahros Golden Award in Tunisia, a Golden Award from the Chinese Ministry of Culture, and an award from the Ministry of Culture in Algeria.

Arabic Poetry and the Public Sphere Today: A Conversation between Abbas Beydoun and Rula Jurdi

Rula Jurdi

In a fascinating conversation Lebanese journalist, poet and novelist, Abbas Beydoun and Lebanese historian and poet, Rula Jurdi discuss the limits and reach of modern Arabic poetry, its appeal to different public spheres, the politics of publishing, and the relationship between publisher and poet. Both agree that oral and performative traditions and innovations can increase accessibility.

"Before we ask ourselves why are the readers of Arabic poetry declining we must remember that throughout history, if one were to examine the major Arabic literary accounts, poetry was a public activity, but it was never a sustained popular or mass-based activity. Poetry was for the elites"--Abbas Beydoun

Interviews

Dina Abd Elsalam on Passion, Art, and Inspiration

By

Nada Ramadan Elnahla

In this fascinating interview, Professor Nada Ramdan Elnahla talks with Dina Abd Elsalam, Egyptian filmmaker, novelist, and Alexandria University lecturer. Ms. Abd Elsalam speaks about her acclaimed and award-winning film, “Rest in Peace” and her novel, “A Text Abandoned by its Characters.”

Iman C. Bennani Speaks with Arab-American Poet Lahab Assef al-Jundi

By

Iman Bennani

I thought I would pursue a career in the scientific disciplines and I came to the States to study electrical engineering. However, as I grew older, I began to discover my love for poetry. By age 30, I had started writing what I thought of as “love scribbles.”

Left

Riyadh al-Turk: In and Out of Syrian Prison

By

MOHAMMAD ALI ATASSI

As a person, prisoner, and leader, Riyadh al-Turk has few parallels in politics. He is a professional politician in the noblest sense of the word. Politics for al-Turk is a means of attaining the greatest degree of justice, human nobility, and freedom. He has dedicated the bulk of his time and effort to politics, only to be repaid with a lengthy prison sentence.

Words Behind Bars

By

MOHAMMAD ALI ATASSI

It is hard to keep calm in the face of the events that Faraj Bairqadar describes in this interview. Born in 1951 in the city of Homs, he is only the second Syrian political prisoner to speak publicly about his experience, though it is an experience shared by numerous other prisoners.

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