Desire under conflict: the potential for queer in Hoda Barakat’s The Stone of Laughter

This article examines Hoda Barakat’s original rendition of gender and sexual otherness in The Stone of Laughter (1990), the first Arabic novel with a queer protagonist, Khalil. The analysis sheds light on pre-modern Arabic literature’s celebratory depiction of homoerotic desire vis-à-vis the dearth and negative connotations of the theme in modern Arabic fiction. The article explores Barakat’s implementation of surrealism in her portrayal of Khalil’s sexuality and the reality of his choices within the context of the Lebanese Civil War (1975–90). Khalil’s queer identity, which marks his dissidence, becomes a form of resistance that challenges the status quo of his hetero-patriarchal society and the unresolved sociopolitical issues that led to the War

Relocating civil society in a politics of civic-driven change

Politics is central to development discourse, yet remains peripheral. Over some twenty years, a civil-society narrative has not fulfilled its potential to 'bring politics back in'. Reasons can be found in conceptual confusion, in selectivity in donor thinking, in policies towards civil society and in the growth-driven political economy of NGO-ism. Remedies for the political lacunae are being sought through a focus on rights, citizenship and leadership that show valuable focused progress. This article examines a comprehensive complement to such efforts referred to as civic-driven change (CDC). Originating in a grounded empirical approach, the constituent principles and elements of CDC offer a lens that can both sharpen and deepen insights and advance analysis of socio-political processes. © The Authors 2013. Development Policy Revie

Chicago : A Novel

Setelah The Yacoubian Building yang sempat jadi buah bibir, Chicago adalah karya selanjutnya, tulis pasca peristiwa 11 September, oleh Alaa Al - Aswany, pria yang lahir, besar dan mencecap pendidikan di Mesir, tapi kemudian menetap dan memilih hidup di Chicago, Amerika serikat.400 hlm. ; 19 ,5 c

Chicago (a novel)

x, 439 hlm. ; 19 cm