
In the emergence of the novel in Arab literature, many have claimed to be the first. What makes this literary genre special, and how has it changed the development of Arab literature? What role does the novel play in the Arab World today? Is there even a role for the novelist?
AGYA alumnus Prof. Dr. Bilal Orfali, Sheikh Zayed Chair for Arabic and Islamic Studies, interviews the Lebanese novelist Dr. Rachid El Daif about current challenges and the future of Arabic novels to find answers to these questions.
Rachid El Daif is a prominent Lebanese writer and intellectual who plays an important role in the development of the modern Arabic novel. His novels and poetry collections are widely received in Europe, the USA, Brazil, Japan, and Vietnam. Discussion panels, critical articles, scholarly monographs, and collective works highlight his contribution to modern literature.