Arab Voices


Book Description

The Arab World is a region that has been vastly misunderstood in the West. Arab Voices asks the questions, collects the answers, and shares the results that will help us see Arabs clearly. The book will bring into stark relief the myths, assumptions, and biases that hold us back from understanding this important people. Here, James Zogby debuts a brand new, comprehensive poll, bringing numbers to life so that we can base policy and perception on the real world, rather than on a conjured reality. Based on a new poll run by Zogby International exclusively for this book, some of the surprising results revealed include: * Despite the frustration with the peace process and the number of wars of the past few years, 74% of Arabs still support a two state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. And over one-third of Lebanese, Saudis, and Jordanians think that their governments should do more to advance peace. * Despite wars in and around their region and the worldwide economic crisis, when asked "Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?" 42% of those polled say they are better off, 19% worse off. * Arabs like American people (59% favorable rating), values (52%) and products (69%), giving them all high ratings. And Canada gets high favorability ratings everywhere (an overall rating of 55% favorable and 32% unfavorable). * However, Arabs overwhelmingly rate American society "more violent and war-like" (77%) or "less respectful of the rights ofothers" (78%) than their own society. Why? Because of the Iraq war and continuing fallout from Abu Ghraib,Guantanamo, and the treatment of Arab and Muslim immigrants and visitors to the United States. * What type of TV show do Saudis and Egyptians prefer to watch? The answer is, "Movies", which draws over 50% of the first and second choice votes. In Morocco, the top rated shows are "soap operas" and music and entertainment programs, drawing almost two-thirds of the first and second choice votes. Religious programs are near the bottom of the list of viewer preferences, garnering less than 10% of votes in all three countries.




Voices of the Arab Spring


Book Description

Narrated by dozens of activists and everyday individuals, this book documents the unprecedented events that led to the collapse of dictatorial regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. Beginning in 2011, these stories offer unique access to the message that inspired citizens to act, their experiences during revolt, and the lessons they learned from some of the most dramatic changes and appalling events to occur in the history of the Arab world. The riveting, revealing, and sometimes heartbreaking stories in this volume also include voices from Syria. Featuring participants from a variety of social and educational backgrounds and political commitments, these personal stories of action represent the Arab Spring's united and broad social movements, collective identities, and youthful character. For years, the volume's participants lived under regimes that brutally suppressed free expression and protest. Their testimony speaks to the multifaceted emotional, psychological, and cultural factors that motivated citizens to join together to struggle against their oppressors.




Arab Voices


Book Description

This book, first published in 1991, moves beyond sensational headlines to explore how Middle Eastern men and women speak and feel about the societies in which they live. Kevin Dwyer makes use of extensive research and interview material from Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco and combines first-hand testimony with vivid and illuminating analysis. The voices are those of lawyers, political militants, religious thinkers, journalists and human rights activists who focus their discussion on the question of human rights and critical issues in social and cultural life.




Arab-American Faces and Voices


Book Description

As Arab Americans seek to claim their communal identity and rightful place in American society at a time of heightened tension between the United States and the Middle East, an understanding look back at more than one hundred years of the Arab-American community is especially timely. In this book, Elizabeth Boosahda, a third-generation Arab American, draws on over two hundred personal interviews, as well as photographs and historical documents that are contemporaneous with the first generation of Arab Americans (Syrians, Lebanese, Palestinians), both Christians and Muslims, who immigrated to the Americas between 1880 and 1915, and their descendants. Boosahda focuses on the Arab-American community in Worcester, Massachusetts, a major northeastern center for Arab immigration, and Worcester's links to and similarities with Arab-American communities throughout North and South America. Using the voices of Arab immigrants and their families, she explores their entire experience, from emigration at the turn of the twentieth century to the present-day lives of their descendants. This rich documentation sheds light on many aspects of Arab-American life, including the Arab entrepreneurial motivation and success, family life, education, religious and community organizations, and the role of women in initiating immigration and the economic success they achieved.




Human Rights in the Arab World


Book Description

This is the first book in English that draws together the work of intellectuals at the forefront of research on the Arab region's key human rights issues. Its empirical and theoretical focus is on the historical and contemporary place of human rights in Arab politics and the obstacles to advancing rights in the region.




The Arab Diaspora


Book Description

The Arab Diaspora examines the range of roles the Arab world has played to various audiences on the modern and postmodern stage and the issues which have arisen as a result. The variety of roles explored reflects the diversity of Arab culture. With particular focus placed on political, diplomatic and cultural issues, the book explores the relationship between the Arab world and the West, covering topics including: Islam and its common ancestry and relationship with Christianity the varying forms of Arab civilization and its inability in more modern times to fulfil the dreams of nineteenth and twentieth century reformers continued stereotyping of the Arab world within the media. The Arab Diaspora is essential reading for those with interests in Arabic and Middle East studies, and cultural studies.




New Voices in Arab Cinema


Book Description

New Voices in Arab Cinema focuses on contemporary filmmaking since the 1980s, but also considers the longer history of Arab cinema. Taking into consideration film from the Middle East and North Africa and giving a special nod to films produced since the Arab Spring and the Syrian crisis, Roy Armes explores themes such as modes of production, national cinemas, the role of the state and private industry on film, international developments in film, key filmmakers, and the validity of current notions like globalization, migration and immigration, and exile. This landmark book offers both a coherent, historical overview and an in-depth critical analysis of Arab filmmaking.




Arabic Voices 2


Book Description

Arabic Voices is a two-part series designed to provide students of Arabic with an opportunity to hear and study authentic Arabic as it is spoken by native speakers today. Unlike the scripted materials read by voice actors used in many course books, Arabic Voices offers dozens of audio essays spoken naturally and off-the-cuff by individuals from across the Arab World. Each of the twelve native speakers has contributed audio essays in both Modern Standard Arabic and his or her native dialect, which have then been transcribed for study. In Arabic Voices 1 and 2, you will hear Egyptian Arabic, Levantine Arabic (Lebanese Arabic, Palestinian Arabic, Jordanian Arabic), Yemeni Arabic, Tunisian Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, as well as Modern Standard Arabic. MP3s are available for free download at www.lingualism.com. The segments in Modern Standard Arabic provide valuable insight into native speakers’ range of style and proficiency in the language. The segments in colloquial Arabic dialects offer a fascinating look into the many varieties of Arabic, and how similar and different they really are from one another. Fine-tuning your listening to the idiosyncrasies of each dialect will truly help you better understand spoken Arabic. Each “segment" (audio essay chapter) contains: 1) exercises to sharpen your listening skills and increase how much you can understand, whatever your level 2) in-chapter answers to the exercises (no having to flip back and forth to the back of the book) 3) a voweled transcript of the audio with side-by-side English translations 4) cultural and linguistic notes 5) web links to articles and videos related to the segment 6) select segments feature grammar focuses with additional exercises.




Arabic Voices 1


Book Description

Arabic Voices is a two-part series designed to provide students of Arabic with an opportunity to hear and study authentic Arabic as it is spoken by native speakers today. Unlike the scripted materials read by voice actors used in many course books, Arabic Voices offers dozens of audio essays spoken naturally and off-the-cuff by individuals from across the Arab World. Each of the twelve native speakers has contributed audio essays in both Modern Standard Arabic and his or her native dialect, which have then been transcribed for study. In Arabic Voices 1 and 2, you will hear Egyptian Arabic, Levantine Arabic (Lebanese Arabic, Palestinian Arabic, Jordanian Arabic), Yemeni Arabic, Tunisian Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, as well as Modern Standard Arabic. MP3s are available for free download at www.lingualism.com. The segments in Modern Standard Arabic provide valuable insight into native speakers’ range of style and proficiency in the language. The segments in colloquial Arabic dialects offer a fascinating look into the many varieties of Arabic, and how similar and different they really are from one another. Fine-tuning your listening to the idiosyncrasies of each dialect will truly help you better understand spoken Arabic. Each “segment" (audio essay chapter) contains: 1) exercises to sharpen your listening skills and increase how much you can understand, whatever your level 2) in-chapter answers to the exercises (no having to flip back and forth to the back of the book) 3) a voweled transcript of the audio with side-by-side English translations 4) cultural and linguistic notes 5) web links to articles and videos related to the segment 6) select segments feature grammar focuses with additional exercises.




Arab Voices in Diaspora


Book Description

Arab Voices in Diaspora offers a wide-ranging overview and an insightful study of the field of anglophone Arab literature produced across the world. The first of its kind, it chronicles the development of this literature from its inception at the turn of the past century until the post 9/11 era. The book sheds light not only on the historical but also on the cultural and aesthetic value of this literary production, which has so far received little scholarly attention. It also seeks to place anglophone Arab literary works within the larger nomenclature of postcolonial, emerging, and ethnic literature, as it finds that the authors are haunted by the same ‘hybrid’, ‘exilic’, and ‘diasporic’ questions that have dogged their fellow postcolonialists. Issues of belonging, loyalty, and affinity are recognized and dealt with in the various essays, as are the various concerns involved in cultural and relational identification. The contributors to this volume come from different national backgrounds and share in examining the nuances of this emerging literature. Authors discussed include Elmaz Abinader, Diana Abu-Jaber, Leila Aboulela, Leila Ahmed, Rabih Alameddine, Edward Atiyah, Shaw Dallal, Ibrahim Fawal, Fadia Faqir, Khalil Gibran, Suheir Hammad, Loubna Haikal, Nada Awar Jarrar, Jad El Hage, Lawrence Joseph, Mohja Kahf, Jamal Mahjoub, Hisham Matar, Dunya Mikhail, Samia Serageldine, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ameen Rihani, Mona Simpson, Ahdaf Soueif, and Cecile Yazbak. Contributors: Victoria M. Abboud, Diya M. Abdo, Samaa Abdurraqib, Marta Cariello, Carol Fadda–Conrey, Cristina Garrigós, Lamia Hammad, Yasmeen Hanoosh, Waïl S. Hassan, Richard E. Hishmeh, Syrine Hout, Layla Al Maleh, Brinda J. Mehta, Dawn Mirapuri, Geoffrey P. Nash, Boulus Sarru, Fadia Fayez Suyoufie