‘Tu as grossi ! Il faudra que tu perdes au moins 10 kilos pour que tu sois à nouveau un être humain – bani ‘adam’ ! ‘Comment vas-tu plaire à ton mari avec cette haybe – cette face/façade – ?’ ‘Je connais une excellente diététicienne. Je te refile son numéro’. ‘Ah ! J’ai cru que tu étais enceinte ! Le […]
Monthly Archives: September 2015
Is Lebanon Ready for a Revolution?
Why do many Lebanese let themselves and their country be buried under trash? Why is the general worldview/behavior – except for few individuals and movements who are trying to deconstruct it – quietist, conformist, and ostrich or zombie like? Why isn’t there a collective upheaval that would gather all Lebanese? Is Lebanon ready for a revolution? […]
Why do Men Fear Women?
This is not a philosophy question. I am just sharing my story while hoping others will answer the question ‘Why do Men Fear Women?’ based on their own experiences. I have been working for quite some time in the Arab world, between Lebanon, Syria (before the war) and the United Arab Emirates. Different companies, different […]
Reclaiming My (Our) Regional Identity (ies)
Few days ago, I asked my students to search for the origins and use of the ‘Middle East’ expression and identify the most common stereotypes of the ‘Middle East’ and ‘Middle Easterners’. Following the plenary session where they presented their findings, we discussed the importance of deconstructing 100+ year old taxonomy and theories. By deconstruction, […]
I caught a line in your eyes
I caught a line in your eyes weaving the endless strings of destiny to carry dreams of children spat out by waters of indifference to the shores of denials Dreams vanished in the pure light of an unfulfilled life a fruitless tree healthy yet lifeless cut from its roots Sleep as deep as the deepest […]
I Urge you Not to Lose Faith in Humanity
My name is Kalima [my nickname, for security reasons] and I am Syrian. I left my country two years ago, following the massacre of my mother, father, brother, uncle and grand-parents. I was fortunate enough to be rescued and to be able to escape to Europe via Turkey, but many others weren’t. I have been […]