Next Journalism:
middle east literature

I have a book (collection of articles) written in Arabic that needs to be translated (only selected chapters ) into English.

I am seeking a reliable person that would/is:

1) Experienced in translation (no beginners/trials please) & specifically from Arabic to English
2) Apply copywriting skills and has done editing and proof reading
3) Skilled in ENGLISH COMPOSITION with strong grammar and vocabulary
4) Relate to non Arabic speakers (NOT translate in an Arabic-to-Arabic fashion & thinks as the readers language)
5) Have good knowledge of medical, political, social terminologies
6) Accessible online on regular basis & Respond to any inquires within 24 hours
7) Preference given to individuals with North American/European experience
8) Would offer a decent non corporate rate

The approximate total word counts are 64,000 from about 180 Articles, the book is provided in PDF format. If you are interested, please let me know as I would require a sample work where I will provide you a page to judge the quality of your work. As well, kindly provide us with your payment acceptance and billing method. We are looking for committed and long term relationships, thank you for considering our time. Only serious individuals are invited to bid and communicate with us. Kindly specify you rate per word, as a lump sum for the project as well as your method of delivery.

Required software: Adobe Acrobat.

Payment: 0.05 USD per word

Apply here.

Deadline: 15 May 2011

The Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies (JMEWS) Book Award has been established by the Association for Middle East Women’s Studies (AMEWS) to recognize and promote excellence in the fields of Middle East women’s or gender studies, broadly defined. The JMEWS Book Award will be offered annually to a scholar within these fields for a solo-authored book. Books published (copyrighted) in 2010 will be considered for the 2011 award. The competition is open only to books published in English.

The JMEWS Book Award will be given to the author whose work is judged to provide the most significant and potentially influential contribution to Middle East women’s or gender studies. Books of exceptional courage and potential impact beyond the field will be given special consideration.

The first JMEWS Book Award will be publicly announced at the AMEWS business meeting at the MESA annual meeting in 2011. The winner will receive a $1,000 cash award and a plaque. Books that do not receive the award but are considered exceptional will receive honorable mentions at the ceremony.

The JMEWS Book Award Committee strongly encourages submission of nominations for the competition. Nominations must come from one or more individuals (not organizations or publishers) in the form of a letter of nomination verifying the impact of the particular work on the field of Middle East women’s or gender studies. Self-nomination is not permitted, and works submitted without an accompanying letter of nomination will not be considered. Signed copies of the nomination letter as well as five copies of each nominated book should be sent to the Award Committee members NO LATER THAN MAY 15, 2011, at the address below:

Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies
Council on Middle East Studies
The MacMillan Center
Yale University
P.O. Box 206208
New Haven, CT 06520-8206

The JMEWS Book Award is sponsored by Yale University’s Council on Middle East Studies through funding awarded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI grant.

Deadline: 7 March 2011

The Open Society Foundations are recruiting instructors of academic writing in English to teach at the Open Society Scholarship Programs 2011 Pre-Academic Summer Program in Istanbul.

There will be two summer school sessions held in 2011: the first from July 1–27, the second from July 28–August 24. Both will be identical in structure and instructors can apply to teach at one or both sessions. Instructors will be expected to attend three days of preparation as a part of each session: July 1–3 for the first session, and July 28 –30 for the second session.

The summer school program is designed to prepare scholarship finalists from Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Southeast Asia for graduate studies or faculty exchange programs primarily in the UK or the U.S. The curriculum is an integration of academic writing courses with intensive seminar-style social science courses. All courses will be taught in English.

Participants in the summer school take one academic writing course (2 hours a day, 4 days a week) and one social science course (1.5 hours a day, 4 days a week). Academic writing instructors will work closely with social science instructors during the pre-program preparation to coordinate their course approach and writing/research assignments. Each course is expected to have no more than 12 students. The expected total number of students attending each summer school session is approximately 100. Students attending the summer school will be entering graduate programs in a range of disciplines, including law, social work, public policy, political science, human rights, international economic theory, gender studies, sociology, and development studies.

Eligibility

The Open Society Foundations are calling for experienced teachers of academic writing in English to submit a letter of interest, CV, and sample syllabus for an intensive 3.5 week course in academic writing. Please note that final syllabi and assignments will be worked out during the three day preparation in cooperation with the social science instructors. Preference will be given to individuals with significant experience teaching in a western academic institution with experience living/teaching in the participants' home regions (Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and South East Asia). Due to budgetary considerations, preference will also be given to those who are able to travel inexpensively and conveniently to Istanbul.

In addition, the Open Society Foundations are seeking an academic writing instructor with specific experience teaching legal writing to LLM students for the July session.
Responsibilities

Academic writing instructors will teach one course lasting 3.5 weeks for each summer school session. The total number of classes will be 12 per session, with the three last days of the program set aside for instructors to grade projects and work closely with social science instructors on final student evaluations.

Teaching hours: Approximately 2 teaching hours per day for four-days a week, plus a required minimum of 2 hours a day for student consultations.

Additional responsibilities: Instructors will be called upon and are encouraged to assist with extra-curricular activities and special events during the course of each session. They will also be expected to conduct additional lectures or facilitate presentations that orient students to graduate studies in the UK and the US.
Compensation

Instructors will receive $4200 USD per summer school session, round-trip travel to Istanbul, and accommodation. Applicants should specify which session they are applying for, or whether they are applying to teach at both.

Deadline

The deadline for application is March 7, 2011.

To Apply

Applicants should submit a letter of interest, sample syllabus and CV via email to NSPSummerSchool@sorosny.org.

Deadline: 1 April 2011

The Journal of Muslim-American Literature (JML) is a pilot project made possible by a United States Department of State grant. Its main purpose is to help establish the critical terms and parameters of Muslim-American literature/cultural production, clearly distinguishing it from any ethnic, racial or cultural identifier.
The critic Frederick J. Hoffman wrote: “If literature is important to history, it is not because it serves as a social document or as a footnote to political or intellectual history, but primarily because it is a culmination, a genuine means of realizing the major issues of its time”. This is the starting point for this journal, which is concerned with Muslim-American literature before and after September 11th 2001, certainly the most significant moment of the 21st century thus far, an event which has led to numerous military and political conflicts between the United States and the Islamic world.

Those conflicts have been accompanied by scores of non-fiction appraisals of what separates America and Islam, an opposition that remains as evident as it is hard to define. Whatever their starting point, the authors of these books invariably call on Muslims to liberate themselves from the apparent reactionary obtuseness of Islam. Calls to modernize, adapt, Westernize, Americanize, enter the 21st century, leave the 7th, abandon tradition, grasp the present, look to the future, enter modernity and forge ahead inform nearly all of these efforts. Many go further, purporting to be windows into the mind of the ‘Muslim’ – the chosen battleground for all that Islam ever was and is and the forces of the West, led by the United States.
How then do Muslim-Americans ‘realize’ this most significant event? What are the poetics of Muslim-American literature? To what extent is it ‘saturated’ with identifiable themes and preoccupations? Where are the fault lines between American and Muslim identity, and how are they expressed in cultural production?
The Journal of Muslim-American Literature welcomes scholarly considerations of these and similar questions, as well as poetry, essays and short fiction by Muslim-American writers.

Please send a 300 word proposal/abstract and a short bio to: journaljml@gmail.com by 1 April 2011. Publication is planned for Fall 2011. Accepted proposals will receive notification by 1 May 2011, with completed papers expected by 1 October 2011.

What we’re looking for is a published poet who can lead a writing workshop in Arabic for Arabic-speaking high school students.

Here are the major tasks, abbreviated. Everything takes place in July except where noted.

· Assist with student selection process (March or possibly April)

· Teach one introductory workshop session with selected students online (May; this really depends on students’ Internet access)

· Co-teach the Arabic-language workshop with another writer-teacher (currently we’ve got Khaled Khalifa tentatively signed on)

· Meet with students as needed

· Assist with editing of the student anthology

· Participate in a reading with the other teacher as part of the Iowa City Book Festival

· Write a report of no more than 2 pages listing what worked, what didn’t, and suggestions for improvement (August)

We pay all July travel and lodging expenses, plus an honorarium and per diem.

Our Web site, which awaits 2010 updates, is here: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/projects/BTL/index.html

Kecia Lynn
Coordinator, Between the Lines
International Writing Program
The University of Iowa
430 N. Clinton
Iowa City IA 52242
(319) 384-3296 (ph)
(319) 335-3843 (fx)
kecia-lynn@uiowa.edu

More information at the Radius of Arab American Writers website here.

Deadline: 20 February 2011

Prizes:

$10,000 in total prize money: One grand prize winner in the Middle East and one in the US will receive $2,000. One second place winner in the Middle East and one in the US will receive $1,500. Three runners up in the Middle East and three in the US will receive $500 each. 50 book prizes will be awarded to additional outstanding essays.

HAMSA's annual contest comes from a 1951 Langston Hughes poem: What Happens to a Dream Deferred?. The poem helped propel the civil rights movement in the US. Today, it can inspire your dream deferred for the Middle East, which the UN calls the "world’s least free region." The contest has two parts: one for Middle Eastern youth and one for American youth. Write a brief essay addressing one of the questions below. Winning essays - selected by a panel of celebrity judges - receive $10,000 in prizes.

Please answer one of the questions below

If you live in the Middle East

1. Identify a civil rights abuse in your local community – how does this repression impact you or someone you know?Describe a personal experience with civil rights restrictions (censorship, discrimination, protest, etc.). Consider what can be done – and what is being done - to reform these abuses. Explain whether your children will still face the same restrictions when they are your age.

2. What would you with $1,000 to organize a civil rights event or campaign?You can use this money in any way you want to help secure individual rights in your community. Describe with details the activity, its intended impact, strategic approach, budget, and marketing plan. Structure your essay creatively: perhaps as a grant proposal, a mock police report on the event, or a story imagining how the event comes together to make an impact. Consider that winning the contest will give you the funds to make this vision a reality.

3. What is your “dream deferred”: a vision of your society with civil rights for all?Share your dream of a successful civil rights movement. Explain what is needed for this campaign to overcome obstacles. If you like, write a mock newspaper article from the future reporting on a ground-breaking event, campaign, or new project (e.g., a civil rights TV station, web portal, online training center, etc.). Describe successful collaboration between Mideast activists and grassroots American supporters.

4. You have been given $2,000 to produce a short (1-4 minutes) viral video on civil rights in the Middle East. The challenge is to grab viewers’ attention, link viewers to a specific action to address the abuse, and ultimately get them to forward the video to friends?The video should aim to make an emotional and educational impact that spurs a clear practical action by viewers. It could also be a video answer to one of the essay questions posed above. Include the script for the video as well as the marketing plan to distribute it virally. For bonus points: Actually produce the video and provide a link to it with your essay.

If you live in United States

1. Profile a Middle East civil rights reformer: What about their work inspires you and how can you assist their struggle?Explain the challenge to individual rights this reformer addresses. Describe the nonviolent strategic approach the reformer uses to advance change. And suggest ways that you as an individual in America can help support their struggle – from social media tools to solidarity rallies to fundraising.

2. Imagine that you have decided to help the campaign to free a young Middle Eastern blogger in jail (e.g., Bahrain’s Ali Abdulemam), but some friends argue that Americans should not “impose their values” on foreign cultures. What is your response to arguments of “cultural relativism,” and what direct appeal can you make to convince your friends to help? In addition to moral points, describe your campaign’s practical steps to engage ordinary Americans to help secure the blogger’s release.

3. What can the future look like if Americans - like you - partner with Middle Eastern reformers? Share your vision of a successful collaboration between Middle East and American activists. Describe how an effective joint campaign overcomes key obstacles. If you like, answer the question by writing a mock newspaper article or blog from the future reporting on this new alliance. Consider the impact of social media tools to build bridges and build effective partnerships between activists on opposite sides of the world.

4. You have been given $2,000 to produce a short (1-4 minutes) viral video on civil rights in the Middle East. The challenge is to grab viewers’ attention, link viewers to a specific action to address the abuse, and ultimately get them to forward the video to friends?The video should aim to make an emotional and educational impact that spurs a clear practical action by viewers. It could also be a video answer to one of the essay questions posed above. Include the script for the video as well as the marketing plan to distribute it virally. For bonus points: Actually produce the video and provide a link to it with your essay.

Who can enter the contest?

Entrants must be 25 years old or younger as of the contest deadline: February 20, 2011. Entrants must reside in Arab League member states, Iran, Afghanistan, or the United States. There is no minimum age requirement, and entrants do not need to be students. Prizes are awarded as cash, not scholarships.

Foreign Students: If you are a foreigner currently studying in the US, you can enter the contest. If you are a Middle Easterner studying in the US, answer one of the questions posed to Middle Easterners. If you are a citizen of the Middle East temporarily living outside the region, you can still enter the contest. If you are an American currently living overseas, you can enter the contest. Equal Opportunity: All essays are evaluated without regard for race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation of the author, as well as other classifications protected by applicable international US laws.

How long should entries be?

Essays should be at least 600 words, but no longer than 1,500 words. Footnotes, citations, and essay title do not count towards the word limit.

Can an essay entry remain anonymous?

If do not want your name made public in the event your essay is selected as a winner, check the "anonymous" box when submitting your essay. Several past winners have chosen this option.

When will HAMSA announce the winners?

Winners will be notified (and announced on our web site) by June 2010. Judges evaluate each essay for clarity, creativity, and persuasiveness to determine prize winners.

What are common mistakes to avoid when writing an essay?

Do not focus on US government policy and regional geo-politics (the Iraq War debate, the Arab-Israeli-Iranian conflict, Iran's nuclear program, etc.). Essays based on these topics are disqualified. Judges are looking for essays that explore what ordinary citizens can do on the grassroots level to strengthen individual rights within Middle Eastern societies. These civil rights include, but are not limited to, free expression, women's equality, minority rights, religious freedom, economic liberty, and artistic freedom.

How can a brief essay cover the broad topic of civil rights in the Mideast?

There are several ways to address this challenge. Past prize winners have discussed the larger problem of civil rights abuses across the Middle East with a range of examples. Others have focused on one particular country (Middle Eastern participants are strongly encouraged to address their own society). Others have focused on a particular kind of civil rights abuse (e.g., press censorship). There is no one "right" answer to any of the essay questions.

Do essays have to be original and does HAMSA retain the right to reprint essays?

Yes. Any quotations or outside intellectual material should have citations. All essay submissions become the property of the contest sponsor. At the same time, entrants can republish their essay on their own (e.g., on a blog, for a class paper, etc.) and use ideas for other writing.

Submit your essay here.

Reply to: gigs-daebr-2153847635@craigslist.org

An Arab American publication established in 2002 is seeking experienced and capable freelance writers familiar with the Arab American community and culture.

Publication is credited for many scoops and often quoted in mainstream media. freelance assignments only. rates vary between $75 and $150 per assignment.

70% of assignments are community oriented and require a combination of research and ground work. the remaining 30% are interviews, political and artistic stories.

Journalism students especially with middle eastern background are welcome to apply. Knowledge of multimedia is preferred. familiarity with indesign is a plus.

Location: Brooklyn - Queens- Staten Island

Compensation: between $75 and $150 per assignment.

Deadline: 31 January 2011

Qatar Scholarship Program

The Qatar Scholarship Program offers dedicated Arabic language students from the United States the opportunity to master their skills in an intensive Arabic language program at Qatar University (QU) in Doha for an entire academic year (September to June). The scholarship includes tuition, room and board in university dorms, round-trip airfare, local transportation, and books.

This program is designed for those who have already developed their Arabic at the intermediate and advanced levels. Students passing a proficiency exam at QU will also have the opportunity to audit regular undergraduate courses taught in Arabic in an array of subjects. This is a non-degree program; however, students will receive a certificate upon completion of the academic year and academic credit will be awarded.

The Department of Arabic for Non-Native Speakers at Qatar University has a number of specialized instructors who have extensive experience teaching Arabic to non-native speakers. Written and spoken Modern Standard Arabic are offered. The curriculum includes: reading, composition, phonetics, Arabic literature in the modern period, the Qur'an, Hadith, schools of poetry, rhetoric, Arabic grammar, semantics, and methods of teaching Arabic for non-native speakers.

For more information about the Arabic for Non-Native Speakers Program at Qatar University, please click here.

Eligibility Requirements

All students applying to the Qatar Scholarship Program must meet the following requirements. If you do not meet all of these requirements, your application will not be considered for the scholarship.

1. U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
2. Between 18 and 40 years old
3. Recently completed a Bachelor's or Master's degree by the beginning of the program
4. Minimum of two years of formal Arabic study and be at the intermediate level of Arabic language study by the beginning of the program
5. Demonstrate interest in the Arabic language and continued language study

The Application

All application materials must be postmarked by January 31, 2011. Materials postmarked after this date will not be accepted.

The application packet for the 2011-2012 Qatar Scholarship Program is available in PDF format. Please click here to access the packet.

Be sure to read the application instructions carefully and include the following materials in your application.

* Application Form
* Transcripts

Transcripts must be official and up-to-date. Please provide transcripts from all academic institutions, language programs and study abroad programs that you have attended.

* Recommendation Forms and/or Letters

One letter must be from a recent Arabic instructor. Both letters should be in sealed, signed envelopes and postmarked no later than January 31, 2011.

* Resume/CV
* Statement of Purpose (750 words)

Please describe how the Qatar Scholarship Program fulfills your immediate and long-term academic and professional goals.

Please do not include any other materials with your application; they will not be reviewed. Please send the application to the following address:

Qatar Scholarship Program
Georgetown University
Center for Contemporary Arab Studies
ICC 241
37th and O Streets, NW
Washington DC 20057

The Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of specialists in the Arabic language and the Middle East.

After the selection committee has completed the review of all eligible applications, all candidates will be notified of their status via email. The top 10-15 candidates will be asked to participate in a brief phone interview with the selection committee. The interview will be conducted primarily in English with the possibility of a brief section in Arabic.

Contact Us

Qatar Scholarship Program
Center for Contemporary Arab Studies
Georgetown University
ICC 241
37th and O Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20057-1020
202.687.9101
qatarscholar@georgetown.edu

We are looking to increase our pool of qualified editors/proofreaders for upcoming legal and financial projects.

We currently specialize in Arabic <> English but we would like to enhance our capabilities in French <> Arabic.

We will give preference to Arab females because our agency is women-run and operated.

We highly encourage young female translators who are looking for an agency that will nurture them and allow them to grow and prosper.

Tarjamat LLC is a women-run and operated translation agency based in New York, with a focus on financially empowering Arab women through stake-building.

Job place: US United States

Linguists must live in: EG Egypt, PS Palestinian Terr., Occupied, SY Syria

Apply here.

Reply to: gigs-qmpmp-2122464510@craigslist.org

Layalina Productions is seeking a part-time native Arabic speaker to assist in transcription of its newest feature-length documentary. The position is available immediately and will take about a week to complete.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send resumé, cover letter, and list of references by email. Incomplete applications will not be considered. No calls please.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

LOCATION

1250 24th St., N.W., Suite 300, Washington, District of Columbia, 20037, United States

Languages needed: Native Arabic speaker with excellent written English.

ABOUT LAYALINA:

Layalina Productions, Inc. is a non-profit, private sector corporation that develops and produces Arabic-language television programming for airing on existing Arab satellite networks. Layalina's original productions address the misconceptions and negative stereotypes about the United States, its people, culture, and policies through entertaining and educational productions that are culturally appropriate. Through its programs, Layalina aims to present a new vision of the United States and its values to the Arab world, in their vernacular.

For more information about Layalina Productions, please visit: www.layalina.tv

Location: Georgetown

Compensation: 500-1000

Deadline: 15 January 2011

The Journal of Arab and Muslim Media Research is a new refereed academic publication dedicated to the study of communication, culture and society in the Arab and Muslim world. It aims to lead the debate about the rapid changes in media and society in that part of the world. This journal is also interested in diasporic media like satellite TV, radio and new media especially in Europe and North America. The journal serves a large international community of academics, researchers, students, journalists, policy makers and other members of the public in the West as well as the Arab and Muslim countries.

Call for Papers: Special Issue

JOURNAL OF ARAB & MUSLIM MEDIA RESEARCH

‘ARAB WOMEN & THE MEDIA’

The sudden increase in the number of Arab satellite channels targeting Arabs inside and outside the region has been paralleled by an explosion in the number of women working as TV presenters, producers, and news reporters in these various channels. Their appearance has not been confined to women’s and children’s programmes, but has been markedly noticeable in the serious genres of news and current affairs too. Furthermore, women from the most conservative societies in the Arabian Gulf have also gained access to these channels, and their presence has indeed been enforced by the establishment of dedicated Gulf channels such as Al-Jazeera, MBC, Rotana Gulf, IQRA, Dubai, Sharjah and Saudi Channel2 to name a few.

The aim of this special issue of Arab and Muslim Media Research is to develop and publish a timely collection of papers representing current research in gender and Arab media. Of particular interest are papers that present empirical findings of fieldworks among Arab women media professionals and which offer conceptual, methodological and analytical rigour. Example topic areas for inclusion in this special issue include, but are not necessarily confined to:

1. Factors that enabled, or conversely restrained, women’s access to and success in media industries
2. How women negotiate their success in a male-dominated field
3. How Arab women media professionals identify themselves and are identified by others
4. Women’s representation in the media and the impact of this on their interest in joining the media industries
5. The success criteria as defined by men and women in the media industries.
6. Arab women’s consumption/interaction of a media congested world

This special issue will be dedicated to articles dealing with this rather under-represented issue and it aims to gather scholarly views on gender and identity in Arab media industry. Contributions based on empirical studies are particularly welcome. To ensure the quality of the contributions a variety of papers will be considered including for example theory-informed case studies and critical review of current literature (particularly in Arabic).

Special Issue Editors:

Dr Noha Mellor, Senior Lecturer in Media & Cultural Studies, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, Kingston University. She is the author of The Making of Arab News (2005) and Modern Arab Journalism (2007).

Dr Noureddine Miladi, Senior Lecturer in Media & Sociology, School of Social Sciences, University of Northampton, UK.

Submissions:

Manuscripts to be considered for publication should be submitted via e-mail. Each manuscript should be no more than 8500 words in main text and150 words in abstract. All submissions will be blind-refereed.

Please refer to the Submission Guidelines for the Journal of Arab and Muslim Media Research before you formally submit your paper. Please make sure that submitted papers include the following: Title, name of the author, affiliation, complete contact details, abstract, keywords, author’s bio, main body, bibliography etc. The style referencing must follow the Harvard system all the way through.

Deadline for submission of full papers: 15th January 2010

Please send your complete papers to: Noureddine Miladi at noureddine.miladi@northampton.ac.uk or Noha Mellor at n.mellor@kingston.ac.uk

We welcome contributions on but not restricted to the following themes:

* Communication and development in the Arab region
* Media and the Construction of public opinion
* Media and social change in the Arab and Muslim world
* Media coverage of wars and conflicts in the region
* New media, culture and society in the Arab and Muslim World
* Arab/Muslim youth, identity and the media
* Media and women empowerment
* Diasporic media and diasporic audiences
* Global media and its impact on local cultures
* Blogging and the changing face of journalism practice
* Reality TV and the tabloidisation of Arab media
* Pan-Arab Satellite TV and audience research
* Media, subcultures, and resistance in the Arab and Muslim countries

Audience

The journal serves a large international community of academics, researchers, students, journalists, policy makers and other members of the public in the West as well as the Arab and Muslim countries.

Features

In addition to academic refereed papers the journal includes:

* Reports from academic conferences and symposia, organised both in the Arab and Muslim countries and in the West, and which are related to the topics of concern to the journal.
* Book, film and internet reviews.
* Interview section with scholars, broadcasters as well as policy makers.

Submission Details

The Journal of Arab and Muslim Media Research welcomes contributions from around the world about the above mentioned areas of enquiry. Manuscripts to be considered for publication should be submitted electronically, via e-mail, to the Editor. Each manuscript should be no more than 8000 words in main text and 150 words in abstract. Review articles should be between 1500-2000 words and interviews should approximately be 3000 words. All submissions will be blind-refereed.

Articles should be original and not be under consideration by any other publication. They should be written in a clear and concise style. All submissions should be made electronically via e-mail. Margins should be at least 2.5cm all round and pagination should be continuous. Full articles and all correspondence with respect to any aspect of editorial policy should always be addressed to the Editor.

Announcement of winner: 14 March 2011

MOHAMMED ACHAARI, RAJA ALEM, KHALID AL-BARI, BENSALEM HIMMICH, AMIR TAJ AL-SIR and MIRAL AL-TAHAWY are the six authors announced last Thursday 9 December 2010 as the shortlisted finalists for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2011. The shortlisted authors were revealed at a press conference with the panel of judges in Doha, Qatar, 2010 Arab Capital of Culture.

The shortlist was announced by Fadhil Al-Azzawi, the 2011 Chair of Judges, whose name was also revealed alongside a panel of four other Judges today. All five Judges are specialists in the field of Arabic literature and come from Iraq, Bahrain, Italy, Jordan and Morocco.

Fadhil Al-Azzawi comments on the shortlist: “From the beginning the judging panel worked together in harmony and with a great degree of agreement. The fact that they reached near consensus on the longlist made choosing the shortlist easy. In the Judges’ opinion, the shortlist shows the high quality of the modern Arabic novel in its different forms.”

The six shortlisted titles were chosen from a longlist of 16, announced in November this year, following 123 submissions from across the Arab world. They are, in alphabetical order:

The Arch and the Butterfly
Mohammed Achaari

Tackling the themes of Islamic extremism and terrorism from a new angle, The Arch and the Butterfly explores the effect of terrorism on family life. It tells the story of a left-wing father who one day receives a letter from Al-Qaeda informing him that his son, who he believes is studying in Paris, has died a martyr in Afghanistan. The novel looks at the impact of this shocking news on the life of its hero and consequently on his relationship with his wife.

An Oriental Dance
Khalid al-Bari

An Oriental Dance tells the story of a young Egyptian who, on marrying an older British woman, moves to England. Through his eyes, the reader is given a vivid account of the struggles and relationships of the Arab expatriate community living in the UK.

The Hunter of the Chrysalises (Or the Head Hunter)
Amir Taj al-Sir

The Hunter of the Chrysalises is the story of a former secret service agent who, having been forced to retire due to an accident, decides to write a novel about his experiences. He starts to visit a café frequented by intellectuals, only to find himself the subject of police scrutiny.

Brooklyn Heights
Miral al-Tahawy

Brooklyn Heights tells the story of the New York’s Arab immigrants and those who live among them through the eyes of the female narrator. By contrasting her experiences in her chosen home, America, and her homeland Egypt, she reveals the problematic relationship between East and West. It is a story of fundamentalism and tolerance, loss and hope in love. Simple yet full of rich detail, the novel evokes the atmosphere of America over the last decade.

The Doves' Necklace
Raja Alem

The sordid underbelly of the holy city of Mecca is revealed in this astonishing story. The world painted by heroine Aisha embraces everything from prostitution and religious extremism to the exploitation of foreign workers under a mafia of building contractors, who are destroying the historic areas of the city. This bleak scene is contrasted with the beauty of Aisha’s love letters to her German boyfriend.

My Tormentor
Bensalem Himmich

In a gripping novel, whose narrative style is a blend of Kafka and One Thousand and One Nights, Himmich imagines an innocent man’s experience of extraordinary rendition in an American prison. During his captivity, the protagonist is subjected to interrogation and torture by both Arabs and foreigners and yet, against all odds, the author manages to find some hope in an otherwise desperate situation.

Deadline: 30 November 2010 (for Spring) 15 April 2011 (for Fall)

The Programme offers free scholarships to qualified Arab candidates who demonstrate leadership capabilities, to pursue their Master's Degrees. The scholarship covers tuition, fees, and books for the full duration of study.

Nationals of the 22 member countries of the League of Arab States are eligible to apply. These countries are: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen.

How to apply for a scholarship

To be eligible for a graduate scholarship through the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Pioneers Programme, candidates should:

* Secure their own acceptance to one of the Foundation’s regional partner universities
* Apply for the Pioneers scholarship through the scholarship office at the relevant partner university
* Attach certified copies of all undergraduate academic credentials to the application
* Attend an interview with the programme advisory panel, if required
* Send copies of the following to pioneers@mbrfoundation.ae:

§ Acceptance letter from Partner University
§ Degree
§ Transcript of grades
§ GRE, GMAT grades if available
§ TOEFL or IELTS grades
§ Resume
§ Passport
§ Recent letter of employment
§ Financial Status Form

Important Notes:

· Once a candidate is awarded a scholarship, he/she will be required to sign a legally binding agreement with the Foundation, undertaking to remain and work in one of the 22 Arab States, for a minimum period of two years

· Scholarships are available for approved degrees at partner universities/campuses only

· The Programme is only available to students who have not started their Master's Degree courses yet

· The pioneers must be enrolled as full-time students, for the full duration of study

· The Programme does not cover summer school fees

Deadlines:

* Fall semester: August 15
* Spring semester: November 30

Click here to check Partner Universities

To enquire about this Programme, please send an email to pioneers@mbrfoundation.ae after reading the FAQs

University or Organization: The George Washington University
Department: Classical and Near Eastern Languages & Civ
Job Location: District of Columbia, USA
Web Address: http://www.gwu.edu/~csll/
Job Rank: Instructor

Specialty Areas: Applied Linguistics

Required Language(s): Arabic, Standard (arb)

Description:

The George Washington University Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations invites applicants for two three-year, renewable, full-time Special Service Faculty positions in Arabic, commencing with the 2011 Fall semester. The successful candidates are expected to teach the Arabic language (Modern Standard and dialects) at all levels of proficiency.

Basic Qualifications:

Native or near native fluency in Arabic and excellent command of English; M.A. in Arabic or related field; experience in teaching Arabic at college level and use of technology in language teaching. Preferred Qualifications: ACTFL testing certification in Arabic is desirable and commitment to assistance in curriculum development.

To Apply:

Send a letter of application, a statement of teaching philosophy and use of technology in teaching Arabic, curriculum vitae, sample syllabi, tests and teaching materials, teaching evaluations, a videotaped teaching demonstration, along with three letters of recommendation to the application address listed below. Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2010 and will continue until the position are filled. Only complete applications will be considered. The George Washington University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women, people of color, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encourage to apply.

Application Deadline: Open until filled.

Mailing Address for Applications:
Director of Arabic Mohssen Esseesy
341Phillips Hall, Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages & Cililizations
801 22nd Street, NW
Washington, US 20052
USA

Email Address for Applications: esseesymgwu.edu

More information here/here.

Deadline: 15 February 2011

Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies Volume 12 (2012)

'The book in fact and fiction in pre-modern Arabic literature' - a themed issue edited by Antonella Ghersetti (Ca' Foscari, Venice)

Call for papers

How to participate

Please send an abstract of no more than 500 words or one side of A4 (double-spaced) to Antonella Ghersetti. Deadline for abstracts: 15 February 2011. Those articles accepted for publication must be sent to Antonella Ghersetti (antghers@unive.it ) by 31 August 2011.

Further details

As Johannes Pedersen stated in his seminal work, The Arabic Book, 'In scarcely any other culture did literary life play such a role as in Islam'. Such a role can be seen in the enormous output of this intellectual activity: many Arabic scholars of the pre-modern period are famous for their vast production, which biographical sources reckoned in terms of pages, physical volumes and titles. When connected to the conceptual side of the book, the material side cannot be neglected. Indeed, books in both their concrete and intellectual senses were frequently a topic of discussion. Declarations of passionate love for books are quite common in Arabic literature: the well-known passage al-Jahiz in praise of books is perhaps the most famous example, but literary representations of a passion for written materials, even verging on pathological attachment, are also found. Indeed, Arabic literature is full of representations of books of all kinds.

This themed issue will examine representations and conceptual images of the book, as well as related topics in pre-modern period. The theme addresses the notion of "the book" as a product of human intellectual and material activity, and hence as an item having both conceptual and physical aspects. Articles may choose to focus on the notion of "book" not only as a tool for transmitting knowledge and wisdom, or for simple distraction, but also as a global product involving physical and intellectual aspects. Literary representations of collective and factual phenomena, such as collections of volumes, or individual emotional responses such as bibliomania, bibliophilia - or even a hatred of books and written objects - may also be themes for exploration.

Potential research questions and issues

• Intellectual property rights concerning books
• Concepts of forgery and plagiarism
• The circulation of forbidden, or non-canonical, books
• Books and the ways knowledge and intellectual exchange were transmitted
• from oral communications
• The image of books as substitutes for emotional relations (e.g. books as
• friends or as sons)
• Books as a means of dialogue between different cultures
• Cases of bibliophilia or bibliomania.
• Motives driving to love, hate, accumulate or destroy books
• Books as precious items to be valued for their aesthetic qualities
• Emotional responses to calligraphy, good binding and luxurious volumes
• The tension between the desire to acquire books, both as precious items
• and as a means of knowledge, and frustration both for economic
• reasons or shortage of appropriate items
• Literary representations of libraries, both public and private
• Motivation for the choice of books
• Books, curiosity and chance findings
• The projection of the self upon the book as an intellectual product
• expressing some inner feeling
• The dissemination of books: roles of professional classes, material or
• ideological incentives for this
• Patronage and the composition of books
• Recommendations on handling books and writing materials
• The representation of, and appreciation for, the professions involved in
• the production and distribution of books

Articles which have already been published, accepted for publication, or are under review by any other journal should not be submitted. We particularly welcome articles written in English, although we may also publish articles in other languages. Articles will be peer reviewed. The text must conform to accepted scholarly conventions for the field in which you are writing. Diacritics should be marked correctly throughout and made entirely in a Unicode-compatible font, preferably Arial Unicode MS (Microsoft Word), Times New Roman (for Vista) or Lucida Grande (AppleMac).

More information here.

Deadline: 1 November 2010

Call For Papers

Papers are invited on topics that deal with theoretic and applied issues of Arabic Linguistics. Research in the following areas of Arabic linguistics is encouraged: linguistic analysis (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics), applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, discourse analysis, historical linguistics, corpus linguistics, computational
linguistics, etc. Persons interested in presenting papers are requested to submit a one-page abstract giving the title of the paper, a brief statement of the topic, and a summary clearly stating how the topic will be developed (the reasoning, data, and experimental results to be presented).

Authors are requested to be as specific as possible in describing their topics. Abstracts should be submitted by e-mail as pdf attachments (all fonts embedded) to: mustafa.mughazywmich.edu Authors' names are not to appear anywhere in the abstracts. Instead, the author's name, email address, address, and phone number should be included in the body of the email message. Twenty minutes will be allowed for each presentation followed by ten minutes for discussion.

Deadline for Receipt of Abstracts: November 1, 2010

This post is a call for entries for the Arabic Graffiti book that is in the making.

Without regional borders or constraints, ‘Arabic Graffiti’ references the use of Arabic script in urban context. It showcases artists, graffiti writers and typographers from the Middle East and around the world who merge Arabic script and calligraphy styles with the art of graffiti writing, street art and urban culture. The project offers many different, diverging and at times contradicting ideas and approaches to treating this sensitive tradition with contemporary vision. To accompany a visual assortment of styles, the book will include several crossover topics, such as classical and contemporary calligraphy, Arabic typography, political graffiti and street art. Curated and authored by Lebanese typographer Pascal Zoghbi and pioneer European graffiti artist and publisher, Don M. Zaza aka Stone (Cubabrasil, From Here to Fame Publishing), ‘Arabic Graffiti’ also features essays by various writers and artists working in this field.

We have a big collection of street art visuals from urban graffiti artists, and we are searching for typographic projects (logos, posters, typefaces, etc) and fashion design items (accessories, clothing, jewelry, etc) inspired by urban street art. For the Graphic Designers, Typographers and Fashion Designers whose work was influenced by the vernacular graffiti spirit and who are interested in publishing their work in the book, please contact us at:

pascal@29letters.com and/or don@fhtf.de

Title: ARABIC GRAFFITI
Author: Pascal Zoghbi and Don M. Zaza aka Stone
Pages: 200 full color
Photographs: ca. 300 full color photographs & illustrations
Format: 28.5 x 21cm with Hardcover
Language: English edition with Arabic Summaries
Published: spring 2011 USA/GER/UK

Deadline: 1 November 2010

The Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures at Washington University in St. Louis seeks to appoint an Associate professor of Arabic with tenure to begin in the fall of 2011. Assistant Professors at the advanced level are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will be a textual scholar of Arabic primary sources who also has demonstrable expertise in Arabic language instruction, and she/he will be expected to assume primary responsibility for the department¹s thriving Arabic language program.

The position is in the Humanities but period and field of specialization are open. Ph.D. and a distinguished record of scholarly publication required. Duties include teaching regular courses, advising students, research and writing for publication, and university service. The deadline is November 1, 2010.

Applications should include a curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, and supporting materials about research and teaching and sent to: Professor Fatemeh Keshavarz, Chair, Arabic Search Committee, Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1111, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899. For electronic submission, send e-mail attachments to anell@wustl.edu; Enquiries: fatemeh@wustl.edu; telephone inquiries: (314) 935-5110.

Washington University in St. Louis is an Equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, and encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Employment eligibility is required upon appointment.

Deadline: 15 November 2010

School: College of Arts and Sciences

Description:
Join a vibrant campus community whose excellence is reflected in its diversity and student success. West Chester University is seeking applicants for an Assistant Professor of Arabic. Highly competitive salary and benefits.

Requirements: Doctorate preferred in Arabic language/literature/culture, or a related field. Required expertise in teaching modern standard Arabic language and culture. The candidate will be expected to work in the area of online/distance education, in addition to traditional instruction. Preferred secondary area of expertise in linguistics, another language or a related discipline. The successful candidate should demonstrate a strong commitment to and evidence of excellence in Arabic language teaching and competence in the use of instructional technology. Native or near-native fluency in Arabic and English. Evidence of strong research potential, and familiarity with current trends in pedagogy, and experience in program development. Finalists must successfully complete on-site interview process and teaching demonstration. Position begins August 15, 2011.

Please send letter of application, C.V., teaching portfolio (statement of teaching philosophy, summary student evaluations, and sample original teaching materials), and three letters of recommendation to: Dr. Jerry Williams, Department of Languages and Cultures, Main Hall 109, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383. Initial screening of applicants will begin on November 15, 2010 and continue until the position is filled.

Developing and sustaining a diverse faculty and staff advances WCUs educational mission and strategic Plan for Excellence. West Chester University is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply.

The filling of this position is contingent upon available funding.

All offers of employment are subject to and contingent upon satisfactory completion of all pre-employment criminal background and consumer reporting checks.

Deadline: 11 October 2010

An open position for a Lecturer in Arabic within the Department of World Languages and Cultures in the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI is now available. The position is for a three-year contract renewable anually.

Qualifications

Education: Ph. D. or Master's Degree in Arabic, Middle Eastern Area Studies, or the teaching of Arabic as a second language.
Language: Native or near-native fluency in Arabic and English required.
Experience: Experience in teaching Arabic language and culture at the college or university level and evidence of excellence in language teaching. Applicants whose work incorporates a global perspective and demonstrated commitment to issues of diversity in higher education are particularly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities
Teaching: Twenty-four (24) credit hours of beginning, intermediate and advanced Arabic language per academic year. (or ca. 3 courses per semester, depending on number of credit hours per course.) Possible opportunity to teach Middle Eastern culture courses in English.
Service: Coordinating Arabic instruction at IUPUI in consultation with Chair; updating course syllabi as necessary; collaborating with other Arabic instructor/s; maintaining office hours to facilitate contact with students; advising minors and individualized majors in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Active participation in appropriate program, department, and school functions and activities is expected.

Salary
Negotiable and commensurate with experience.

Benefits
Retirement plan; medical, dental, and life insurance.

Appointment
Three-year contract for a 10-month appointment (renewable annually) at the rank of Lecturer in Arabic, beginning August 2011.

Application
Review of applications will begin on Monday, October 11, 2010 and will continue until the position is filled. The following application materials are required for full consideration by the Search and Screen Committee: 1) letter of application with supporting documentation of teaching experience and excellence; 2) current curriculum vitae 3) three letters of recommendation.

Send your application materials to:

Prof. Gabrielle Bersier, Chair,
Dept. of World Languages & Cultures
IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI
425 University Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5140