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"اختفى رحيقُ الأرض فلم يعدْ ثـمّة عطر إلا في القوارير" (ميسلون هادي، قصة عطر الوردة).

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تثير فينا قصة "عطر الوردة" لميسلون هادي الرغبة لتأمل حالة البيئة في ظل الأوضاع المعادية للبيئة. فالتدمير، في العراق، لم يقتصر على الإنسان والجوانب المادية وإنما طال حتى البيئة. الحرب المتواصلة منذ سنوات، نشرتْ آلاف الأطنان من المواد السامة على هذا البلد، فلم تنجُ البيئة من التلوث الذي طال الماء والهواء والأرض وجميع المخلوقات. والقصة تتحدث عن هذه الكارثة من خلال النحل وثورته على الإنسان ومحاصرته في منزله وخلف نوافذه. الحرب إذن حاضرة بوصفها سببا ونتيجة لكلّ هذا التدمير الذي أصاب البيئة

Dystopian fiction as intended in the Western literary tradition is a 20

th century phenomenon on

the Arabic literary scene. This relatively new genre has been experiencing an uplift since the

beginning of the 21

st century and many works that have been defined dystopias have been

published and translated into English in the last 10 – 15 years. In order to find out their main

features, Claeys’s categorization of literary dystopias is applied and a thematic analysis is

carried out on four Arabic dystopian works of narrative, written by authors from different parts

of the Arabic world. The analysis shows that 21

st century Arabic dystopias are political

dystopias, with totalitarianism as their main variation. Rather than on society, their focus is on

the individual, and more specifically on personal freedom. The totalitarian constraints are

mainly caused by religious fundamentalism and bureaucratic procedures. Surveillance and

control over population are implemented by means of religious precepts and bureaucratic

constructions, together with, in some instances, control over language and technological

devices. Political totalitarianism regardless of a specific political ideology is identified as main

theme. The thesis suggests that a Western-based classification framework is only partially

suitable for Arabic dystopian fiction of the 21

st century and that further research, including but

not limited to a specific classification theory for Arabic dystopian fiction, is necessary to

properly investigate this new literary trend in Arabic literature.

This paper intends to contribute to the research field of vocabulary learning from an Arabic language acquisition perspective. After a brief introduction, the paper deals first with some linguistic, Arabic-specific considerations within the vocabulary teaching theoretical framework and then presents a research project, the scope of which is the monitoring of students’ vocabulary proficiency in two subsequent terms, where vocabulary instruction differed in focus on teaching methods. Specifically, the paper outlines the frequency ranges of the words taught during the course, accounts for the methods chosen to measure the students’ vocabulary proficiency and compares and discusses the results.

Within the frame of structural approach to language teaching, research has mainly focused on how to teach and learn language rules and systems and little attention has traditionally been paid to vocabulary teaching and learning. The general idea aboutvocabulary has been that words are just words, implying that learning new vocabulary is just a matter of mnemonic exercise. However, during the last 30/40 years, vocabulary learning and teaching has emerged as a newly recognized aspect of language acquisition, with vocabulary learning strategies as one of the main research topics. Research in this field has so far mainly focused on English vocabulary acquisition, witha few single or comparative studies involving European languages and even fewer about non-European languages. The almost total lack of research about Arabic language acquisition for non-native speakers is striking, especially when considering their importance of morphology and lexicography within the Arabic tradition. This paper is a contribution to the field from the Arabic language acquisition perspective. The topic is introduced by a brief outline of the field’s central definitions and theoretical framework and an attempt is made to put them into a learning and teaching Arabic vocabulary perspective. An ongoing research project is then presented, involving two beginners’courses for non-native speakers (Arabic 1 for beginners and Arabic 2) taught at Dalarna University, Arabic Department. The frequency ranges of the words taught in the courses are first outlined, and an account of the way(s) chosen to measure the students’vocabulary proficiency follows. The spring term results for the vocabulary proficiency tests are subsequently presented, together with a discussion on how more focused vocabulary teaching, including training vocabulary learning and learning strategies, can be implemented next term in order to improve these results.

‘Abd al Salām Al-‘Ujaylī was one of the most productive and versatile literary figures in twentieth century Syria. His experiences both as a medical doctor and a politician fed into his fictional output, which is most often characterized as realism. Al-‘Ujaylī is considered one of the earliest writers of fiction in Syria. Among his over forty publications are novels, poetry collections, theatre plays, travelogues, essays and auto-biographies. His preferred genre however remained the short story.

Salīm Barakāt is one of the most prolific modern Arab writers. He published his first poetry collection in 1973 and has since produced several more in addition to novels, essays, and autobiographical works. Despite living outside the Arab world since 1982, Barakāt’s literary output is closely connected to his Kurdish roots, and the culture and traditions of his birthplace in northern Syria. Barakāt’s inventive language, original narrative style and fantastical plots have placed him in the forefront of Arab literary modernism. His unconventional technique and mixture of styles and genres have at times made critics unable to describe his work in common literary terms, which in turn has given him the reputation of a renovator of the Arabic novel.   

This literary study examines the formulation of masculinity in Syrian novels authored by women. The thesis covers the period between 1959 and 2000, corresponding to both the development of the female-authored novel in Syria and the creation of the modern Syrian state. This research engages with studies of masculinity in general and literary masculinity studies in particular. Drawing on the seminal work of Raewyn Connell as well as engaging with studies on masculinity and feminine narratology in Swedish, English and Arabic, the thesis analyses the formulation of  literary masculinity through the fictional societies’ ideal masculinity on the one hand, and the female characters’ views and reactions to masculinity on the other. From a general survey of the field, 34 novels undertaking the formulation of gendered relations were identified and chosen for this study.  From this selection, five themes emerged, forming the foundation of this thesis’ main chapters.

The five themes explore, in turn, how stereotypes are utilised to critique gender roles, ways in which male and female characters collaborate to formulate gender norms, how female characters capitalise on patriarchy in order to enhance their lives, male characters as symbols for social and political change and finally, the difficulties included in the performance of masculinity. Each theme is exemplified through one novel, which is analysed in detail. Throughout the five chapters, the main novel chosen for analysis is put into conversation with other novels with similar themes but from different decades. This allows for an examination of changing ideals of masculinity in addition to the theme itself.

The first theme, how stereotypes are utilised to critique gender roles, is studied through a close reading of al-Ẓahr al-‘ārī (The Naked back) by Hanrīyit ‘Abbūdī. The analysis illustrates how the expected normative behaviour of men and women is utilised in order to comment on the formulation of gender roles. The chapter further demonstrates ways in which what is seen as gender specific behaviour can be appropriated by the opposite gender. This is further developed through the examination of female writers taking over the male voice through a first person male narrator. The second theme, ways in which male and female characters collaborate to formulate gender norms, is discussed through a close reading of the novel Khaṭawāt fī al-ḍabāb (Steps in the fog) by Malāḥa al-Khānī. This chapter illustrates the similar expectations that both male and female characters have on their sons and fellow male characters.  This includes taking on the role of provider and protector, even in the cases where the female characters are able to look after themselves.

The third theme, how female characters capitalise on patriarchy in order to enhance their lives, is elaborated through a close reading of Ayyām ma‘ahu (Days with him) by Kūlīt Khūrī. This theme demonstrates how the female character constructs herself and her world around the idea of a perfect male, whom she thinks will save her. The analysis examines what is seen as ideal traits in a man. It further discusses the change of the female character and how her initial utilisation of patriarchal structure transforms into a critique of the same structure.

The fourth theme, male characters as symbols for social and political change, is seen through a close reading of Dimashq yā basmat al-ḥuzn (Damascus, o smile of sadness) by Ulfat al-Idlibī. The chapter connects between changing social ideals and ideal masculinity. Through Bayrūt 75 (Beirut 75) by Ghāda al-Sammān, the fifth theme, the difficulties included in the performance of masculinity, is studied. The problematic masculinity presented is then put in contrast with what appears to be a suggestion that a performance of femininity could be an alternative to unsuccessful masculinity.

Whereas the novels differ in their presentation of masculinity and the utilisation of ideal masculinity, they agree on a set of core traits summarised in a hegemonic ideal of masculinity as an ability to provide and protect. The ways in which this should be performed is however closely connected to the female characters’ ideas of emancipation and women’s rights. The female writers’ formulation of masculinity can hence be said to mirror the development of the female characters and their awareness of women’s rights.  

The thesis hopes that its original contribution to knowledge is the identification and examination of constructed masculinities in Syrian female-authored fiction. Moreover, this thesis studies a body of Syrian fiction previously largely unstudied in Western academia, and in a framework of Swedish, English and Arabic secondary sources. 

Walīd Ikhlāṣī has become known as one of Syria’s most productive dramatists and novelists. Since his first short story collection in 1963 he has produced over 50 pieces of work including novels, plays and short story collections. A well-known modernist and surrealist writer, he has introduced his own distinctive style in his writing for the theatre and in his fiction. He has also been involved in work with the Arab Writer’s Union and in the editorial committees of several Syrian literary magazines, and influenced the cultural scene in Syria and the Arab world. Among Ikhlāṣī’s many plays al-ṣirāṭ (The Path) is often brought out as an example of his seemingly action-less plays which on closer examination are filled with sharp criticism of the social and political Syrian landscape. His short story collection, ma ḥadatha li-‘Antara? (What Happened to Antara?), shows his engagement with Arabic cultural heritage and the use of historical references in his work.

أدخل الباحث لورنس فينوتي مصطلحي "توطين" وتغريب" إلى علم الترجمة كطريقتين مختلفتين للتعامل مع النص.  ينطبق المصطلحان على عناصر عدة ومنها بناء الجمل وصياغتها وهذا ما سنركّز عليه في بحثنا هذا.

يتميز أدب الطفل السويدي بجمله القصيرة ولغته البسيطة بينما أدب الطفل العربي في أحيان كثيرة يركّز على سلامة اللغة والمستوى العالي من التعبير فسؤالنا هو: ماذا يحدث عند ترجمة نص يتميّز بلغته البسيطة إلى لغة تتوقع من أدب الطفل أن يكون مصدراً ذا قيم أدبية لتعليم العربية الفصيحة؟ هل يتم توطين اللغة في الكتب المترجمة أي تعديلات في الجمل السويدية القصيرة والمباشرة إلى مستوى أدبي أم هل يحافظ المترجم على المستوى اللغوي ويقوم بنوع من تغريب النص من حيث التعبيرات وتكوين الجمل؟ ناقش اللغويون والنحاة العرب مفهوم الجملة في العربية وقسّموها إلى جمل كبرى وجمل صغرى ومن خلال هذا التقسيم بدأنا بتحليل نحوي ولغوي لنصوص معاصرة للأطفال مكتوبة باللغة العربية وثم نصوص معاصرة للأطفال مكتوبة باللغة السويدية ومترجمة إلى العربية وقارنّا صيغ جملها وتركيبها مع النصوص العربية. كذلك استعملنا نظرية تكرار الكلمات المتداولة وقارنّا الكلمات المستعملة بالنصوص العربية والسويدية. وجدنا من خلال تحليلنا للنصوص أنّ هناك فرقاً بين النصوص من حيث البناء وأيضاً اختيار الكلمات وهذا أدى إلى نوع من التغريب في ترجمات الكتب السويدية.