Editors’ Picks: Public Intellectuals
The editors of The Markaz Review made the difficult choice of selecting just two of their go-to public intellectuals.
Essays
The Contemporary Literary Scene in Iran
Salar Abdoh reports from Tehran on the beauty and complexity of Iranian literature that thrives despite warring factions.
In and Between Languages: Writing on the Fault Line
Nektaria Anastasiadou writes about her decision to pen her works using the historically fractured language of the Istanbul dialect of Greek.
Why Fawwaz Traboulsi?
Twenty years ago, argues Amal Ghandour, it would have been Edward Said. It’s Traboulsi, his best translator, in 2023.
The Task of the Public Intellectual? Translation
Deborah Kapchan calls for public intellectuals who can speak in many registers amidst the rise of attacks on intellectualism everywhere.
Fairouz: The Peacemaker and Champion of Palestine
In her new book, Dima Issa argues that the influence of Lebanese vocal artist Fairouz on the Arab diaspora has been profound.
Alaa Abd El-Fattah: Political Prisoner and Public Intellectual
Yasmine Al Rashidi on writer-thinker Alaa Abdel Fattah who advocates for the rights of those without platforms to campaign for themselves.
Art Curators as Public Intellectuals
Naima Morelli talks to Rose Issa, Sara Raza, Farah Abushullaih and Alia Al-Senussi about art and intellectuals.
Donkeys and Mules—Motors of the High Atlas Mountains
Aomar Boom describes the centrality of donkeys and mules to life in the unforgiving earthquake-shattered terrain of the High Atlas Mountains.
Disaster and Language—the Disarticulation of Seismic Pain in Tamazight
Brahim El Guabli argues that Morocco's disaster survivors must be able to communicate in their mother tongue.
Memory Art: Water and Islands in the Work of Hera Büyüktaşçıyan
Arie Amaya-Akkermans does a deep dive into the fascinating career of Istanbul-born Greek Armenian artist Hera Büyüktaşçıyan.
Anatolian Journey: a Writer Travels to Sultan Han to Witness a Postmodern Installation
Matt Hanson, an art writer in Turkey, drives across the high plains between Ankara and Konya to see a site-specific art installation.
When the Earth Shook: Notes From a Marrakesh Survivor
Renowned record producer Sir Robin Millar reports from Marrakesh, 45 miles from the epicenter of Morocco’s devastating earthquake.
September 11, 1973 and Ariel Dorfman’s The Suicide Museum
The other 9/11: Francisco Letelier on Ariel Dorfman's latest novel in the context of his family's history in Chile and his father's assassination.
A Day in the Life with Forugh Farrokhzad (and a Tortoise)
A woman's sexual ruminations kindles memories of her conservative upbringing in Iran and a longing for the liberating poetry of Forugh Farrokhzad.