10 Recommended Stories in The Markaz Review 2024
TMR's five main editors have selected two of our favorite stories of the year for your reading pleasure. Of course, we are utterly subjective.
Essays
Criticizing a Militaristic Israel is not Inherently Antisemitic
The conflation of antisemitism with political criticism of Israel not only stifles free speech; it makes Jews less safe around the world.
Return to Damascus…the Long Road Home
A son of Hama — a former prisoner and now a TV correspondent — takes his first steps towards his country in over a decade.
Kareem’s Story, Excerpt from The Home I Worked to Make
A Syrian medical student from Damascus, forced into exile, shares his story with political scientist Wendy Pearlman — anonymously.
Salacious Criminality—Trenchcoat Detectives, Rogues & Smoking Guns
The Arabic crime novel can't compete with more popular genres including satire, horror, or historical fiction, but that hasn't always been the case.
A Fragile Ceasefire as Lebanon Survives, Traumatized
Lebanon may have survived yet another Israeli onslaught but the people emerge scathed and timorous, as if from a nightmare.
Beirut War Diary: 8 Days in October
Rima Rantisi depicts the uncertainty and anxiety of Israel's assault on Lebanon, illustrating its impact on daily life.
In Lebanon, Art is a Matter of Survival
Cultural arts venues have reopened, but Lebanon still faces canceled international events due to the ongoing war and evacuation orders.
Basel Abbas & Ruanne Abou-Rahme: Palestinian artists at Copenhagen’s Glyptotek
Palestinian artist duo Basel Abbas & Ruanne Abou-Rahme fight anti-Arab propaganda by making challenging art.
Liberation Cosplay: on the Day of the Imprisoned Writer
Events like the Day of the Imprisoned Writer risk becoming mere spectacles until they challenge the status quo.
A Jewish Meditation on the Palestinian Genocide
A Jewish American has been afraid to express her reservations and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, but felt she had to speak out.
Between Two Sieges: Translating Roger Assaf in California
Letters from a displaced Lebanese poet today to civil war-era actor-director Roger Assaf evoke Beirut in 1982, 2006 and 2024.
يوم في حياة كارولين كامل في سوق السبت بالقاهرة
.تكتب كارولين كامل عن فرحتها باستكشاف أسواق الأشياء المستعملة النابضة بالحياة في القاهرة، حيث ساعدها لقاؤها بباربي على إنهاء وإرضاء شوق الطفولة الدائم
Beyond Our Gaze: Rethinking Animals in Contemporary Art
Naima Morelli introduces four artists who showcase the role of animals in art as symbols, actors, or something altogether different.
The Felines that Leave Us, and the Humans that Left
An Iranian writer and translator in the heart of Tehran unexpectedly becomes a cat woman, attached to her pets well into adulthood.