RESEARCH PROJECTS
The Lebanese crisis of 1958 as a history A book in Arabic, that deals in eight chapters with the domestic, regional and international causes of the crisis, tracing its development from a political conflict to a bloody crisis. Special attention is also given to the causes of American military intervention and the role of American diplomacy in finding a political settlement to the crisis. (Research work is complete). A. Abu-Saleh. La ville source d’inspiration: le Caire, Khartoum, Beyrouth, Paola Scala A book on “the City in Contemporary Arabic and Francophone Literature”. In press with Franz Steiner Verlag Stuttgart, to be published in 1997. M.T. Amyuni. Lebanese women’s writings A panorama of Lebanese women’s writings: 1975-1995, in Women and War: Lebanon, a Case Study, ed. Lamia Rustum Shehadeh (submitted for publication). M.T. Amyuni. Essay on literary creativity An essay on literary creativity and social change in contemporary Lebanese literature, in A Festscrift for Issa Boullata, ed. Wael B. Hallaq, McGill University, Montreal, Canada (essay almost completed). M.T. Amyuni. The novels of Elias Khoury: between reality and myth To be included in Myths, Historical Archetypes and Symbolic Figures in Arabic Literature: Towards a New Hermeneutic Approach, edited by Neuwirth, Seekamp, Günther and Jarrar. To be published by Franz Steiner, Stuttgart. M.T. Amyuni. Hommage à Michel Chiha The essay will be published in the proceedings of the tribute paid to Michel Chiha at the Cultural Club of Antelias, Lebanon in February 1997. M.T. Amyuni. A Festscrift in honor of Tayeb Salih A collection of essays on Tayeb Salih’s opus with a biography and a bibliography of the Sudanese author. (We hope to send it to press by the end of 1997). Eds. M.T. Amyuni and C. E. Berkeley.* Moto spirituale: essay in memory of George Khairallah A collection of essays which examines some of the areas that were central to Khairallah’s poetry and intellectual concerns, ranging from Sophocles, Shakespeare and Dante, to critical theory and comparative English, French, American literature. The volume is taking shape and will probably have three parts: on Khairallah’s poetry; on the Middle East; and on literary criticism. M.T. Amyuni and N. Matar.* The southern portals of Byzantium Continued research on the subject of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in the twentieth century, to be published as a book. R.B. Betts. Primavera: performning edition Preparation of a performing edition (with critical notes) of the 5 and 6 voice madrigals of the Renaissance Italian composer Giovan Leonardo Primavera (1540-1585) from the original part books published in 1565 and now found only in the State Museum in Kassel, Germany. Six weeks of work were accomplished in July and August 1996 at the Trinity College oMusic in London on a Faculty Development Grant from the University. Work continues on a complete performing edition. R.B. Betts. Speaker intention and speech-act intentionality A book manuscript whereof five chapters out of a projected six are completed. The work constitutes one of the first comprehensive critiques of Derridian deconstruction. The first part is a critical reading of Jacques Derrida’s interpretation of Plato, Saussure, and Husserl. The second part is a development and defense of language philosophical concepts (such as speech-act event, meaning, and understanding) that challenge and undermine core concepts of Deconstruction. The manuscript will be completed in 1997 and submitted to suitable academic publishers. P. Bornedal. (Supported by GRP Mellon foundation at AUB.) The Armenian brotherhoods and the Futuwwa and Akhi organizations in the medieval Islamic world As thriteenth-century literature on Islamic urban youth organizations sought to trace their origins in the prophetic description of the Muslim fata, the gradually emerging histories of the Ahdath, Ayyarun, Shuttar, Fityan and the Akhis traced deeper roots in the politics and culture of the times. The reform program of caliph al-Nasir li-Din Allah (1180-1225) marked a turning point in both Abbasid history and that of the futuwwas in the region. The discovery of a constitution written by Hovhannes of Erzinjan for the Brotherhood of Erzinjan (in 1280) revealed very close links with al-Nasir’s program to bring militant and sectarian factions under the banner of the state and religion. This text became a model for subsequent Armenian youth and guild organziations, thus extending the initial intercultural link. S.B. Dadoyan. Yanis Yanis al-Rumi al-Armani served as vizier to caliph al-Hafiz for a short term of less than a year during 1132. In addition to providing data on his background, life and career, the article outlines the circumstances of the arrival of this figure to a position of absolute power, similar to six other Muslim Armenian viziers who ruled during the last century of the Fatimid caliphate in Egypt (1074-1163). Accepted for publication in the Encyclopaedia of Islam: The New Edition, Leiden, E.J.Brill, 1998. S.B. Dadoyan. (Subsidized by E. J. Brill.) Analysis of the ceramic finds of site B020 A computerized study of 10,000 sherds discovered during the two seasons of excavations (May and September 96) on Site B020 in Downtown Beirut (near Rivoli), excavated jointly by AUB and Tübingen University. A. Ekmekji. The kingdom of Urartu/Ararat An illustrated textbook on the archaeology of early Armenia describing the sites, which are actually in Armenia, Turkey and Iran, with a detailed account of excavation reports, architectural, ceramic and artistic remains. A. Ekmekji. AUB and the Armenians: a continuous love affair Research examining the role of Armenians in AUB since 1889, and the impact of AUBites on the Armenian community both in Lebanon and the Diaspora. A. Ekmekji. Biographies of women from Lebanon and Syria Field work investigated the biographies of some women that I judged to be typical of the various segments of our society. The women had to be born between 1875-1940. Some of them were interviewed personally and others’ biographies were investigated through interviews with family members and friends and by means of printed material by, or about, them if such is available. The biographies are attentive to psychoanalytic, philosophical and anthropological points of views. N. S. Hamadeh. (Supported by Nour Publications, Cairo, Egypt.) Al-zawaj wal talak baina ams wal yawm [marriage and divorce: past and present] Excerpts of this paper were delivered at a conference on “Women and Memory” held November 23-25, 1996 in Cairo, Egypt. It studies ancient and modern biographies of Moslem women, showing that the former had easier access to divorce, a smoother access to remarriage after divorce or widowhood, and a legal right to marry themselves which the latter do not have. The biographies of Sukainah Bint al-Husain (great grand-daughter of the prophet Muhammad) and of Huda Sha’rawi of Egypt were taken as examples. The introduction and conclusion of the paper comment on conscious attempts to obliterate records of actual women’s biographies or to represent such biographies to be in line with the aims of patriarchal power, often misrepresenting them to promote patriarchal points of view. In press. N. S. Hamadeh. (Supported by al-Nida’ al-Jadid, Cairo, Egypt.) Lacan’s technique: looking for consistency in Freud’s theory of the death instinct This paper is based on research I did for my Ph.D. dissertation, which is developed and updated. It discusses the method by which Jacques Lacan developed Freud’s insights, making them more philosophically tenable and more in line with man’s desire for culture. Thus, where Freud considers human beings’ socialization to be a painful process that people are forced to go through, Lacan thinks that socialization is willingly and naturally undertaken. The last section of the paper reinterprets Freud’s interpretation of the appeal of the uncanny “Das Unheimliche” in art, along the lines of Lacan’s reinterpretation of the theory of the death instinct. N. S. Hamadeh. Selves of wives and selves of daughters: a comparative study of the self-constructs of urban and bedouin Lebanese women A book length project entitled Intimate Selfing: Self, Gender and Identity in Arab Families, edited by Suad Joseph (University of California at Davis). The chapter is based on field research comparing relationships between co-wives in bedouin and rural communities in Lebanon. The findings are analyzed from psycho-social perspectives; and the outcome of the analysis indicates that bedouin women’s more stable sense of identity owing to their continued connection to their families of birth gives them a stronger sense of self allowing a better problem-solving capacity and an easier interaction with the artistic, natural and moral aspects of their lives. N.S. Hamadeh. Gender and citizenship in Lebanon This is a book that contains papers delivered during a conference of the same title, held at AUB in March 19-22, 1997. It will include 28 papers dealing with legal, political, educational, social, and information issues relating to gendering citizenship in Lebanon. The book will include a paper on: “A model of equitable education: Ahliah College for girls” written by Najla S. Hamadeh. The book will appear in two volumes: one in Arabic and one in English. N. S. Hamadeh, S. Joseph,* and J.S. Makdisi.* (Supported by Ford Foundation, Cairo; OXFAM, U.K.) Exposition of methods of proof regarding religious dogma. Translation of Ibn Rushd’s Al-Kashf In this book, Ibn Rushd sets out to answer the question of what dogmas a Muslim is supposed to accept from the Scripture in a literal sense and what dogmas are supposed to be interpreted allegorically. To achieve this end, he subordinates the arguments of the major Muslim theological groups to textual and rational scrutiny, exposing their logical weaknesses and inconsistencies. The unavailability of this work in English has contributed to its being overlooked by philosophers. In addition to translating it into English, I am writing a lengthy introduction to discuss some of the major philosophical issues it deals with. Professor Majed Fakhry will also write a general introduction about Ibn Rushd and his place in philosophy. I. Najjar. (Supported URB by for 1996-97.) The evolution of Russell’s theory of knowledge: from pure subjectivity to personal subjectivity Russell’s theory of knowledge plays a central role in his other writings, especially his social and political corpus. A comprehensive explanation and justification of this centrality will be undertaken in this new project. The ontological foundations of his neutral monist theory of knowledge will be examined to show how it entails a comprehensive philosophical outlook best described as personal subjectivity or personal subjectivism. To fully appreciate this new brand of subjectivity, one has to study the evolution of Russell’s theory of knowledge, from early flirtation with idealism, to his later phases of Cartesian subjectivity and logical atomism. The impact of his final theory of knowledge on his other political and ethical writings will be studied in order to fully appreciate its value. I. Najjar. Implications of Ibn Rushd’s theory of rationality In “Mysticism and Logic,” Bertrand Russell distinguishes two very different impulses in man, one directing him towards mysticism and the other leading him towards science. In this paper, Russell’s distinction is applied to Ibn Rushd in order to show how the latter was able to genuinely harmonize between these two tendencies both for his own sake and for that of his Muslim community. Yet in terms of this particular issue doubt has always surrounded his sincerity and many considered him duplicitous in his acceptance of Islam. Although he never lacked supporters defending him against this charge, none has appealed to his detailed arguments for the harmonization of these two impulses based on his theory of rationality which he develops in al-Kashf, the focus of my paper. A paper submitted in December 1996 to and is under consideration for publication by The Middle East Journal of Islamic Studies. I. Najjar. Post-philosophy: a new paradigm or a contradiction in terms? In its attempt to redraw the map of philosophy, postmodernism challenges the very foundation of the philosophical enterprise. In this paper, I examine the basic assumptions of this movement, confining my attention to Adham’s formulation of the paradigm which connects philosophy to science. Adham sets out to undermine the prevailing analytical view of the relationship between philosophy and science. But the line of argument pursued in this paper exposes the mythical nature and vacuousness of this challenging attempt. A paper in Arabic submitted to Al Mustaqbal al Arabi in August 1996 has been accepted for publication in 1997. I. Najjar. The Arab legacy on the problem of induction Arab philosophers, and particularly Ibn Sina and Ibn Rushd, paid special attention to induction. In order to appreciate their views on this subject, my paper will show how far Ibn Rushd, especially, advanced the arguments for and against induction. As is well known, Hume is most famous among modern philosophers for taking the arguments of induction as far as they can logically go, namely, to skepticism. Not satisfied with this Humean solution, Kant was the first philosopher to meet Hume’s challenge and advance a solution to induction. Ever since Kant, solutions have been abundant. Based on Ibn Rushd’s arguments in al Kashf, I hope to show how he posed the Humean problem and offered a solution to it premised on a theory of rationality, much akin to that of Kant. Paper accepted for presentation at Middle East Studies Association ’97 in November in San Francisco. I. Najjar. Russell’s neutral monist theory of knowledge This project is to culminate in writing a paper on Russell’s latest theory of knowledge which he developed from the point of view of neutral monism. I will focus mainly on examining Russell’s repeated claim that his neutral monist theory of knowledge leads to a view of the world very similar ontologically to Leibniz’s monadology. However, if one takes this similarity seriously, one finds the monadology advocating a view of the world with certain social implications, which the illustrious Voltaire is famous for satirizing. This latter similarity is unsettling for Russell, because he denies the existence of any logical relationship between his philosophy and his political view of the world. I. Najjar. Women in Islamic fundamentalism: discourses of H. al-Turabi and R. al-Ghannoushi The aim of this paper is to examine and develop the theoretical bases and philosophy of modern Islamic fundamentalist discourses as they relate to women’s rights and duties and their role in society in general. Many questions have been dealt with such as those pertaining to the origin(s) of women’s rights, the dialectical and religious justifications for such practices, as well as the framework within which they would fit in the fundamentalist overview of society. In press. L.R. Shehadeh. Women warriors in the Lebanese militias The aim of this paper is to study the role women played in the four major militias (Amal, Hizballah, Socialist Party, Lebanese Forces) during the Lebanese war. In press. L.R. Shehadeh. Women in the public sphere A study of the impact which the war in Lebanon has had on the participation of women in the different profession, the labor market, the media and the level of their education. In press. L.R. Shehadeh. Art the chemistry of life The aim of this paper is to study the impact which the war in Lebanon has had on women’s creativity. The paper is divided into two parts: a survey of art in Lebanon with emphasis on women artists and a concentration on the life and work of one woman artist and how the war affected her and her work. In press. L.R. Shehadeh. Women and war: Lebanon, a case study The
project aims at studying the role of women during the sixteen years of
war in all aspects of life (the economic, the social, the political, the
military, the literary and the artistic as well as the psychological sequelae)
to determine how women function in times of crises, what their capabilities
are, to what extent they can withstand pressure and how they compare with
men under similar conditions. Due to the wide scope of the study several
scholars have been invited to contribute papers in their own fields of
study. I have also contributed three papers in addition to editing the
book which has resulted from this study, written an extensive introduction
and conclusion as well as provided indices, bibliography, charts and diagrams.
In press. L.R. Shehadeh.
Abu-Salih, A., The struggle for power in the Chihab emirate during the eighteenth century. In Lebanon during the 18th Century, 128-158, Beirut, 1996. Amyuni, M.T., Style as politics in the novels and poems of Rachid al-Daif, International Journal of Middle East Studies, 28, 177-192, 1996. ———, editor of Bahithat yearly, Bulletin of the Lebanese Association of Women Researchers, II, 536 pages, 1995-1996. Bornedal, P., The law of the name. In Orbis Litterarum—International Review of Literary Studies, no. 51, 21 Odense, 1996. ———, The Interpretations of Art. Lanham/Yew York: University Press of America, 370 pp., 1996. ———, Speech and System, Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, The University of Copenhagen, 400 pp., 1997. Dadoyan, S.B., The Fatimid Armenians: Cultural and Political Interaction in the Near East. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1997. ———, The phenomenon of Fatimid Armenians, Medieval Encounters, Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2, (3), 193-213, 1996. ———, Grigor of Tatev, Islam and Christian-Muslim relations, Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Birmingham, 7 (2), 193-204, 1996. Hamadeh, N.S., Islamic family legislation: the authoritarian discourse of silence. In Feminism and Islam: Legal and Literary Perspectives, M. Yamani* (Ed.) with additional editorial assistance from Andrew Allen, 321-330. London: Ithaca, 1996. ———, The changing values of the modern Arab Family. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Series on Women and Development. 24, 1997. ———, Quyud ‘ala alabhath al-Ilmi fil ‘alam al-’arabi (Restrictions on scientific research in the Arab world). Bahithat: Lebanese Association of Women Researchers, III, 310-319, 1997. Kurani, D. and Kelekian, L.*, Art in Lebanon. Al-Kulliyah, Spring, 6-91997. Najjar, I., Russell’s logic: its eclipse of Aristotelian logic and its reverberations in Modern Arabic thought. Kitabaat Mouasira, 6, (25), 57-65, 1995. ———, Review of Karl Popper: An Introduction to Critical Rationalism, by Oussama Arabi. Beirut: The Committee for Continued Lebanese Dialogue, 1995. Al-Abhath, 43, 123-129, 1995. ———, A man’s view of women’s writing. Bahithat, 2, Beirut, FMA, 229-32, 1995. ———, Ibn Rushd’s theory of rationality, Alif: the Journal of Comparative Poetics. American University in Cairo, 16, 191-216, 1996. ———, Popper’s theory of knowledge: joining the race with Achilles and the Tortoise. Kitabaat Mouasira, 7, (27), 68-73, 1996. ———, Review of Post-Philosophy: Chaos, Diversity and the Great Devil, by Sami Adham. Beirut: Dar Kitabaat, 1996. In Fikr al Arabi, 84, 246-250, 1996. ———, Bertrand Russell: His Thought and Place in Contemporary Philosophy. (In Arabic.) Beirut: American University of Beirut, 1997. ———, The Taif agreement as a contractarian model for the elimination of civil war and confessionalism in Lebanon. In Conflict Resolution in the Arab East: Selected Essays, Paul Salem (ed.), 436-452. Beirut: American University of Beirut, 1997. Shehadeh, L.R., Wa bi-kanisatin Jami’ah Muqaddasah Rasuliyyah [An Apostolic Holy Catholic Church]. Beirut: Pauline Press, 1996. ———, Bilad ash-sham fi ‘ahd muhammad ‘ali basha[Syria during the Reign of Mohammad Ali Pasha]. Beirut: Pauline Press, 1996. Saumarez
Smith, R., Rule by Records: Land Registration and Village Custom in
Early British Panjab. London: Oxford University Press, 451 pp. + 12
colour plates, 1996.
ABSTRACTS, PRESENTATIONS AND PROCEEDINGS Amyuni, M.T., L’Ecriture feminine contemporaine au Liban. International Conference on Feminine Writing, University of Saragoza, Spain, Nov. 1995. ———, Women and writing to-day in Lebanon. Middle East Studies Association Annual Conference, Washington D.C., USA, Dec. 1995. ———, What are Arab man/woman’s plights since Tayeb Salih’s Season of Migration to the North (1966)? A study in a few literary masks. Sudan Studies Association of North America Annual Conference, Alexandria, USA, May 1996. ———, Beirut between myth and reality. First International Conference of the German Oriental Institute, Beirut: Aspects of Literary Hermeneutics in Arabic: Myth, Historical Archetypes and Symbolic Figures, Beirut, June 25-30, 1996. ———, La Paola Scala de Georges Schehadé. Sixth International Francophone Meeting, Gourdon, Calès, Souillac, France, August 1996. ———, The literature of war in Lebanon: 1975-1995. G.E. Von Grunebaum Center for the Near Eastern Studies, University of California in Los Angeles, USA, November 1996. ———, What has happened to the Arab man/woman’s psyche since the 1960’s? A study in a few literary masks. Georgetown University, Washington D.C., USA, November 1996. ———, Lebanese feminine literature: 1975-1995 (in Arabic). Princeton University, USA, November 1996. ———, Shifting boundaries: post-war Beirut in three recent novels 1993-1995. Middle East Studies Association Annual Conference, Rhode Island, USA, November 1996. ———, Malraux at the pantheon, a tribute to Malraux given at the Forum of the Civilization Sequence Program, December 1996. ———, Hommage à Michel Chiha, a paper given in a panel organized by the Cultural Club of Antelias, Lebanon, in honor of Michel Chiha, February 1997. ———, A tribute to the historian, Dr. Najla Abu Ezzeddine. The Cultural Club of Antelias, Lebanon, March 1997. ———, The other in contemporary Arab literature. For a Critical Culture: a Tribute to Edward Said, International Conference, Beirut, June 1997. Bornedal, P. Language system and writing. Balamand University, Lebanon, June 2, 1997. Dadoyan, S.B. The phenomenon of Fatimid Armenians. Medieval Encounters of E. J. Brill, 2 (3), 193-213, 1996. ———, Grigor of Tatev, Islam and Christian-Muslim relations. Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Birmingham, 7 (2), 193-204, 1996. Ekmekji, A. The kingdom of Ararat/Urartu 9th-7th century b.c. Public lecture given at AUB Museum, June 14, 1995. ———, Archaeology of early Armenia and lessons for the future. International Conference for Armenian University Students, Beirut, Lebanon, July 21-August 6, 1995. ———, The new Lebanese educational program (al manhajiya al jadida) and its impact on the future of Armenian private schools. (in Armenian). One day seminar at Haigazian University, Beirut, on Education and the Armenian Schools, Feb. 9. 1996 ———, Education in Armenian schools at the turn of the century (in Armenian). Annual Conference of Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the N.E., Beirut, Lebanon, July 6, 1996. ———, Lebanon at the turn of the century: relief still or development? Conference on Migrants, Refugees and Displaced. Organized by the World Council of Churches and the Council of Europe, Amman, Jordan, October 6-7, 1996. ———, National self affirmation and agape/love: enemies or allies. Theological Seminar on Church and Nation, Near East School of Theology, November 1 (2), 1996. ———, Diplomacy, pacts and peace treaties in the ancient Near East: evidence for cultural interchange. Public Lecture at the C.S. Forum, AUB, November 9, 1996. ———, Like a seed that grows into a tree. Guest speaker at International World Day of Prayer. Near East School of Theology, Beirut, March 7, 1997. ———, War and peace in the ancient Near East: an archeological perspective. Security Concerns and Proposals in the Middle East conference, ISODARCO (Italian Pugwash Group), Amman, Jordan, 15-20 March 1997. Hamadeh, N.S., Why are Lebanese women disinterested in politics? Global women in Politic,s Middle East/North Africa Global Workshop, San’a, Yemen, October 5-10, 1996. ____, Al-zawaj wal talak bain al ams wal yawm: mukaranah baina Sukeina bint al-Husein wa Huda Sha’rawi [Marriage and divorce past and today: comparison of the lives of Sukeinah bint al-Husein and Huda Sha’rawi]. Women and Memory, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, November 23-25, 1996. ———, Al bahth ‘an Siar al-Nisa’: bainal samt wal tamweeh [Researching Women’s biographies: between silence and mystification]. Biographies of Contemporary Women: Oral History, Cairo, Egypt, February 20-22, 1997. ———, Kulliat al-banat al-Ahliyyah: namouthag min tarbiyah mutakafi’ah [Ahliah Girls College: a sample of equitable education]. Gender and Citizenship in Lebanon, sponsored by Ford Foundation, OXFAM and Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, AUB, Beirut, Lebanon, March 19-22, 1997. Najjar, I., Implications of Ibn Rushd’s theory of rationality, Middle East Studies Association Conference, Rhode Island, USA, November 1996. Shehadeh, L.R., Women in Islamic fundamentalism: discourses of H. al-Turabi and R. al-Ghannoushi, Middle East Studies AssociationConference, Washington D.C., USA, 1995. ———, The impact of war on women in Lebanon. International Conference on Population, Health and Environment in the Arab Region, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. 1997. Saumarez Smith, R., Imagining the community, creating property: land registration in nineteenth century India, Conference of the International Association of Middle Eastern Studies, Al al-Bayt University, Jordan, 10-14 April 1996. ———, From local tax to global statistic: alternative genealogies
of the all-India Census. Conference on Statistics and State Formation,
Johns Hopkins University, U.S.A., 12-13 April 1997.
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