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Web Release
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Web Release
AUB Press Hosts Novelist Dr. Jokha Alharithi at the 66th Beirut Arab International Book Fair
As part of its participation in the 66th Beirut Arab International Book Fair, AUB Press hosted an enriching panel discussion with Dr. Jokha Alharithi, renowned Omani novelist, moderated by student Rana Roukoz. The event was supported by the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Chair and organized in collaboration with the Center for Arts and Humanities at the American University of Beirut (AUB). The conversation highlighted Jokha Alharithi's literary and academic experience, as she was the first Arab writer to win the Man Booker International Prize for her novel Celestial Bodies. It also touched on her other works, such as The Silk of the Gazelle and The Bitter Orange. Roukoz's questions focused on the relationship between Alharithi's academic background and the formation of her narrative worlds, as well as the influence of Omani culture on her fictional characters. The discussion was distinguished by its exploration of the narrative peculiarities of Alharithi's worlds, in terms of non-linear construction, multiple voices, and the use of individual and collective memory. The philosophical and existential approach also emerged as a key element in her works, alongside a contemplative poetic language that expresses the depth of her experience. Regarding the relationship between her academic background and her fictional world, Alharithi spoke at length about the family influence in shaping her literary taste: 'I don't know if this has anything to do with my academic background or my upbringing, because I grew up in a family that was passionate about literature. My grandfather, Ahmed bin Abdullah Alharithi, was one of the last classical poets in Oman, and it took me ten years to compile and edit his collection of poems. But when I visited him as a child, I thought he didn't speak like us, but only in poetry, in fusha.' From this deep affiliation with poetry, she set out to build her novelistic worlds, without separating the two literary genres. She concluded by saying that she initially hesitated to incorporate poetry into her novel, but then she read As If She Were Sleeping by Elias Khoury and found that he never hesitated to incorporate poetry extensively. This encouraged her, and she said, 'It's not wrong to incorporate poetry into the novel.' The dialogue included bilateral readings between Alharithi and Roukoz of selected excerpts from the author's works, blending poetry and prose. At the end of the meeting, the audience posed a series of questions to the guest, addressing issues of identity, narrative, and place in the modern Arabic novel. Visit 'AUB Press' on YouTube to watch the full discussion.
Web Release
30-06-2025
- General
- Web Release
AUB Press Hosts Charles Al Hayek at the 66th Beirut Arab International Book Fair: 'How Do We Return History to the Public?'
As part of its participation in the 66th Beirut Arab International Book Fair, AUB Press hosted a compelling discussion titled 'How Do We Return History to the Public?', featuring renowned public historian Charles Al Hayek in conversation with Dr. Bilal Orfali. The event was supported by the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Chair and organized in collaboration with the Center for Arts and Humanities at the American University of Beirut (AUB). Charles Al Hayek is a Lebanese historian, founder of the Heritage and Roots platform, a researcher at AUB, and the creator and host of Lebanon with a Story, a popular history program broadcast on LBCI. The event attracted a diverse audience of established historians, university students, and history enthusiasts. Dr. Bilal Orfali opened the discussion by addressing the widespread perception of history as a 'dry' subject in schools—often disconnected from the lived experiences of the people it seeks to represent. Al Hayek expanded on this by noting that while Lebanon's history textbooks were last updated in the 1990s, these changes affected content, not pedagogical approach. The result, he argued, is a non-critical engagement with history. He also emphasized the overlooked value of oral histories—stories, poems, zajjal, and other cultural expressions—as vital sources for understanding the past. 'Public history,' Al Hayek explained, 'aims to create accessible knowledge that helps people remember where they come from and better understand the present.' This approach not only informs the public about historical events but encourages critical thinking and the asking of difficult questions. The conversation then turned to the importance of individual and collective memory in enriching historical narratives. Al Hayek highlighted the need to bring an emotional dimension back into history, arguing that when emotions are present, they are often exploited to serve political ideologies. Conversely, emotionless history risks being alienating and unrelatable. A more humanized approach would highlight not only political milestones and conflicts but also the everyday lives of people living through these events. When asked about the relationship between general and specific historical narratives, Al Hayek emphasized the power of storytelling as a tool for bridging the gap. Narration, he noted, can transform traditional archives into stories that resonate with broader audiences. However, he cautioned that storytelling can also be manipulated when used to support ideological agendas. Dr. Orfali raised the issue of how digital platforms are reshaping the way younger generations engage with history. While short-form content on social media increases accessibility and democratizes knowledge, Al Hayek warned that it also opens the door for misinformation, especially when content creators lack a background in historical research. He proposed the use of serialized content to maintain depth while retaining audience interest. The discussion concluded with a lively Q&A session, where attendees raised questions about contested historical narratives and how best to navigate them. Visit 'AUB Press' on Youtube to watch the full discussion.
Web Release
22-06-2025
- General
- Web Release
AUB Press Hosts Dr. Ramzi Baalbaki at the 66th Beirut Arab International Book Fair: 'The Arabic Language: Its History, Present, and Future'
As part of its participation in the 66th Beirut Arab International Book Fair, AUB Press hosted a discussion titled 'The Arabic language: Its History, Present, and Future' featuring renowned Arabic Language professor Ramzi Baalbaki in conversation with Malek Chaker and Amina Sleiman. The event was supported by the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Chair and organized in collaboration with the Center for Arts and Humanities at the American University of Beirut (AUB). The discussion touched upon various topics related to the Arabic language. Baalbaki spoke about the history of Arabic and its emergence before the revelation of the Qur'an, highlighting its presence in Arabic poetry and popular proverbs (ahadith). He explained how, by the time of the Qur'an's revelation, the Arabic corpus had become rich and well-established, with its collection largely ceasing by the end of the second Hijri century. Linguists then engaged with this corpus, bringing to light its morphological and syntactic features—particularly its patterns (awz?n). In this context, Baalbaki pointed out the distinctive differences that set Arabic apart from its sister Semitic languages as well as from foreign languages. Baalbaki also spoke about his new book Mukawimat al-Nazariyah al-Lughawwiya al-Arabiyya, in which he demonstrated the coherence of the linguistic theory and the comprehensiveness of its components. This, he argued, highlights the uniqueness of the Arabic language and the elements of wisdom embedded in its structures and morphological patterns. He compared this theory with scientific theories—specifically, the theory of dimensions in physics—to affirm the validity of the linguistic framework established by early grammarians. Through this, they provided explanations for every structure, and thus the term ghar?b (the obscure or unusual) in the language emerged. The discussion also touched on the relationship between Classical Arabic and the various colloquial dialects. Baalbaki emphasized the strong connection between them, refuting any notion of conflict or hostility, as each borrows certain words and structures from the other. The conversation addressed the current state of the Arabic language and its place among its native speakers. Baalbaki pointed to the number of Arabic speakers and the language's presence on social media, expressing concern over the weakening use of Arabic among its speakers and their tendency to resort to foreign languages to express their ideas. Therefore, he offered some advice on how to preserve the language—especially within academia. The event was attended by political and social figures, as well as a number of linguists and scholars of the humanities from various Arab countries. The discussion was rich and full of insights that inspire a love for the Arabic language and reveal the depths of its genius and its ability to convey meaning with remarkable precision through carefully chosen words. It also showcased a range of syntactic structures that are unique to Arabic. Visit AUB Press on YouTube to watch the full discussion.
