Egypt’s Gatekeeper — President or Despot?
Maged Mandour’s new book examines El-Sisi’s exercise and abuse of power in post-revolutionary Egypt.
Who Decides What Makes for Authentic Middle East Fiction?
In Nektaria Anastasiadou’s experience, agents, publishers and editors often have peculiar ideas about what constitutes Middle East fiction.
Lebanon’s Holy Gatekeepers of Free Speech
When religious fanatics in Lebanon aren’t fighting one another, they make the best war comrades against modernity, secularism, and freedom of expression.
My Life Among the Gatekeepers
Ammiel Alcalay writes of the gatekeepers who have affected every aspect of his writing, cultural, and public life.
“Made to Measure”—fiction from Farah Ahamed
Sarah realizes that gatekeepers come in all shapes and forms — over the radio, at the end of an email, in government and the person right next to us…
“Dear Sniper” — a short story by Ali Ramthan Hussein
Gatekeepers of Baghdad decide who lives, who dies, during 2019 protests against high unemployment, state corruption, and poor services.
Soudade Kaadan: Filmmaker Interview
Syrian filmmaker Soudade Kaadan is a jury member of the 81st Venice Film Festival, and the only Arab woman director to have won twice in Venice.
Festival Arabesques Fetes Arab Arts for Cultural Diversity
Celebrating the 19th Rencontre des Arts du Monde Arabe, Festival Arabesques will be held from September 10 to 22, 2024, in Montpellier.
“Fragments from a Gaza Nightmare”—fiction from Sama Hassan
A Gaza-based writer captures the intense and harrowing experiences of individuals enduring the brutal realities of genocide.
Beyond Rubble — Cultural Heritage and Healing After Disaster
Art, activism, archaeology, and archiving are crucial for rebuilding and healing cities by combining the past and present.
Birth in a Poem: Maram Al-Masri’s The Abduction
When a mother loses her child she can become inconsolable, living a desolate life, as she works for his return.