From Historical Foundations to Modern Narratives: The Evolution of Egyptian Literature

With:

Dr. Reem Bassiouney, author

Dr. Barbara Winckler, Arabist

Stefan Weidner, translator

Reem Bassiouney from Egypt, this year's Sheikh Zayed Book Award winner in the literature category, is one of the leading Arab authors, intellectuals and academics of our time. On Sunday, she will be presenting her literary work at the Frankfurt International Stage in conversation with Arabist Barbara Winckler and translator Stefan Weidner. Reem Bassiouney's literature is part of an old Arabic tradition, the historical novel: many of her works are set in medieval Egypt. Is the historical novel a means of escaping the present, or is the present reflected in the past and vice versa? What are the gender relations in the respective cases? What is the current socio-political role of literature (not only) in the Arab world? In addition to questions about literature, Reem Bassiouney will have her say as an intellectual and leading Egyptian-Arabic linguist. Finally, there will be a debate on how literary relations between Europe and the Arab world can be improved and what a role mediators and literary prizes should play in the process.