Arabic culture and literature hold a vastly rich classical history that continues to captivate scholars and readers worldwide. Renowned literary critic and Columbia University professor, Dr. Muhsin Al-Musawi, explores the depths of this heritage, from the global allure of the Arabian Nights to the historical dynamic of Baghdad's intellectual hubs. The discussion delves into how translation served as a window between cultures, the contested notion of an age of decay, and the brilliant prose of modern artists like Jabra Ibrahim Jabra. Reflecting on his own career of writing out of love and devotion rather than mere scholarship, Dr. Al-Musawi critiques how literary prizes can drive trendy imitation instead of a genuinely creative mind.
Arabic culture and literature hold a vastly rich classical history that continues to captivate scholars and readers worldwide. Renowned literary critic and Columbia University professor, Dr. Muhsin Al-Musawi, explores the depths of this heritage, from the global allure of the Arabian Nights to the historical dynamic of Baghdad's intellectual hubs. The discussion delves into how translation served as a window between cultures, the contested notion of an age of decay, and the brilliant prose of modern artists like Jabra Ibrahim Jabra. Reflecting on his own career of writing out of love and devotion rather than mere scholarship, Dr. Al-Musawi critiques how literary prizes can drive trendy imitation instead of a genuinely creative mind.
00:00 Introduction
01:57 The Roots of Passionate Scholarship
05:19 Baghdad's Layered Intellectual Landscapes
09:51 Cultural Solace & the Ambition of Translation
12:26 Confronting the Global Legacy of the Arabian Nights
14:55 Literary Taste & the Metamorphosis of Translation
19:40 The Romantic Search for Spaces Without Borders
26:27 The Vastness of Classical Traditions & the True Renaissance
28:53 Intellectual Intersections & the Republic of Letters
33:15 Challenging the Conventional Notion of an Age of Decay
39:45 Jabra Ibrahim Jabra & the Topography of an Artist
44:58 Curating a Diverse Core Arabic Fiction Curriculum
49:33 Trendy Prizes & the Necessity of the Creative Mind
Muhsin Jassim al-Musawi is Professor of Classical and Modern Arabic Literature, Comparative and Cultural Studies at Columbia University. A renowned scholar and literary critic, his teaching and research interests span several periods and genres. He is the author of 39 books (including 6 novels) and over 60 scholarly articles. He has been editor of the Journal of Arabic Literature since 2000. His publications cover theory, postcolonial discourse, the Arabic novel, poetry, Orientalism, the Arabian Nights, medieval Islamic knowledge and modern Arabic poetics. He taught for over two decades at universities in the Arab world before moving to Columbia University. He is the recipient of the Owais Award in Literary Criticism (2002), the Kuwait Prize in Arabic Language and Literature (2018), the King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Literature in English (2022), and the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (2022).
Connect with Muhsin al-Musawi 👉 https://mesaas.columbia.edu/faculty-directory/muhsin-al-musawi/