Readings in Syrian Prison Literature: The Poetics of Human Rights PDF
Preview Readings in Syrian Prison Literature: The Poetics of Human Rights
Readings in Syrian Prison Literature Contemporary Issues in the Middle East Mehran Kamrava, Series Editor Select Titles in Contemporary Issues in the Middle East Democracy and the Nature of American Influence in Iran, 1941–1979 David R. Collier Generations of Dissent: Intellectuals, Cultural Production, and the State in the Middle East and North Africa Alexa Firat and R. Shareah Taleghani, eds. Iraqi Migrants in Syria: The Crisis before the Storm Sophia Hoffmann Making the New Middle East: Politics, Culture, and Human Rights Valerie J. Hoffman, ed. Ottoman Children and Youth during World War I Nazan Maksudyan Political Muslims: Understanding Youth Resistance in a Global Context Tahir Abbas and Sadek Hamid, eds. Shahaama: Five Egyptian Men Tell Their Stories Nayra Atiya We Are Iraqis: Aesthetics and Politics in a Time of War Nadje Al-Ali and Deborah Al-Najjar, eds. For a full list of titles in this series, visit https://press.syr.edu/supressbook-series /contemporary-issues-in-the-middle-east/. Readings The Poetics in Syrian of Human Prison Rights Literature R. Shareah Taleghani Syracuse University Press Copyright © 2021 by Syracuse University Press Syracuse, New York 13244-5290 All Rights Reserved First Edition 2021 21 22 23 24 25 26 6 5 4 3 2 1 ∞ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. For a listing of books published and distributed by Syracuse University Press, visit https://press.syr.edu. ISBN: 978-0-8156-3706-6 (hardcover) 978-0-8156-3715-8 (paperback) 978-0-8156-5520-6 (e-book) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Taleghani, R. Shareah, author. Title: Readings in Syrian prison literature : the poetics of human rights / R. Shareah Taleghani. Description: First Edition. | Syracuse : Syracuse University Press, 2021. | Series: Contemporary issues in the Middle East | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: ““Readings in Syrian Prison Literature” is a comprehensive study of the contemporary genre of prison literature (adab al-sujun) produced by political detainees in Syria over the past five decades. It examines the intertwined relationships between prison writings, oppositional political movements in Syria, modern Arabic literary experimentalism, and global human rights discourse”— Provided by publisher. Identifiers: LCCN 2020035200 (print) | LCCN 2020035201 (ebook) | ISBN 9780815637066 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780815637158 (paperback) | ISBN 9780815655206 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Political prisoners—Syria. | Political prisoners’ writings, Arabic. | Human rights— Syria. | Social movements—Political aspects—Syria. | Syria—Politics and government—21st century. Classification: LCC HV9777.5 .T35 2021 (print) | LCC HV9777.5 (ebook) | DDC 365/.95691—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020035200 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020035201 Manufactured in the United States of America For detainees and the disappeared in/of Syria, Iran, and the US Despite the fact that I left prison, it didn’t leave me. For the traces of its pain penetrate my blood. Yet, my spirit still yearns for freedom, dignity, and justice. Rida Haddad I want to put a sea in my prison cell I want to steal all the prison cells and toss them into the sea I want to compose a meter in my prison cell I want to steal all the prison cells and recite them in the meter Riyad al-Salih al-Hussayn Contents List of Illustrations xi Acknowledgments xiii A Note on Transliteration and Translation xix Introduction Inscriptions of Detention and Human Rights 1 1. Prison Literature, Genre, and Truth Effects 25 2. Vulnerability, Sentimentality, and the Politics of Recognition 41 3. Rescripting Torture The Cocoons of Language 66 4. On Forms of Life Countermapping and Emotional Geographies 91 5. On “The Kingdom of Death and Madness” Sousveillance and Surrealism in Tadmur Military Prison 125 6. The Stairwell of Solitary Days Carceral Metafiction and Exile 152 Coda 176 Notes 193 Arabic Bibliography 241 English Bibliography 251 Index 271
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