Why Are the Arabs Not Free?: The Politics of Writing: 2 (Critical Quarterly Book Series) - Softcover

Safouan, Moustapha

 
9781405161718: Why Are the Arabs Not Free?: The Politics of Writing: 2 (Critical Quarterly Book Series)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 140516171X ISBN 13: 9781405161718
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2007

Synopsis

Moustapha Safouan, in this courageous and honest book, confronts head-on the problem of Arab despotism, examining it from the point of view of political philosophy, religious argument and linguistic history.


  • A ground-breaking book written by the eminent Lacanian psychoanalyst Moustapha Safouan.
  • Rejects explanations of Arab despotism which appeal either to imperialism or to notions of Arab culture in favour of an analysis which focuses on the relations between writing and power.
  • Investigates the divorce between the classical Arabic which is the medium of education and the diverse vernacular Arabics which are the languages of the streets.
  • A tour de force of political philosophy, religious argument and linguistic history.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author

Moustapha Safouan is an 85 year old Egyptian psychoanalyst living in Paris. His father was one of the founders of the Egyptian Communist party. As a young man in post-war Paris he was one of Jacques Lacan's first students. He has published widely in psychoanalysis. This book has been translated from Arabic and the English text has ben completely re-worked by Colin MacCabe to make it as accesible to Western readers as possible. Colin MacCabe considers it the most important book that he has edited in over thirty years as an editor for Macmillan/Palgrave, British Film Institute and Blackwells.

From the Back Cover

Moustapha Safouan, in this courageous and honest book, confronts head-on the problem of Arab despotism, examining it from the point of view of political philosophy, religious argument and linguistic history. Safouan’s impassioned argument to his fellow Arabs is that if they wish to realise the potential of their great culture, they must follow the linguistic lead of the European Reformation and develop their currently despised vernaculars as written languages.

From the Inside Flap

Moustapha Safouan, in this courageous and honest book, confronts head-on the problem of Arab despotism, examining it from the point of view of political philosophy, religious argument and linguistic history. Safouan’s impassioned argument to his fellow Arabs is that if they wish to realise the potential of their great culture, they must follow the linguistic lead of the European Reformation and develop their currently despised vernaculars as written languages.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
Publication date
2007
Language
English
ISBN 10 
140516171X
ISBN 13 
9781405161718
Binding
Paperback
Edition number
1
Number of pages
128