Halim Barakat
Encyclopedia
Halim Barakat is an Arab
novelist and sociologist. He was born December 4, 1936 into a Greek-Orthodox Arab
family in Kafroun
, Syria
, and raised in Beirut
.
in sociology
in 1955, and his master's degree
in 1960 in the same field. He received both from the American University of Beirut
. He received his PhD
in social psychology
in 1966 from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
From 1966 until 1972 he taught at the American University of Beirut. He then served as research fellow at Harvard University
from 1972 to 1973, and taught at the University of Texas at Austin
in 1975-1976. From 1976 until 2002 he was Teaching Research Professor at The Center for Contemporary Arab Studies of Georgetown University
.
Barakat has written about twenty books and fifty essays on society and culture in journals such as the British Journal of Sociology
, the Middle East Journal
, Mawakif and al-Mustaqbal al-Arabi. His publications are primarily concerned with difficulties
facing modern Arab societies such as alienation
, crisis
of civil society
, and a need for identity
, freedom and justice
. He has also published seven novel
s and a collection of short stories
. These are rich with symbol
ism and allegory
to world events. His novel Six Days (Sitat Ayam, 1961) is prophetically named for a real war yet to come in 1967; as such, it became a prelude to the later novel Days of Dust ('Awdat al-Ta'ir ila al-Bahr, 1969), which unfolds the existential drama of the June War of 1967.
Sitat Ayam (1961), a novel in Arabic translated into English by Bassam Frangieh and Scott McGehee.
From the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies' symposium, North Africa Today: Issues of Development and Integration, held at Georgetown University (1982). Introduction and chapter by Barakat.
Awdat Altair Ila albahr (1969), a novel in Arabic translated into English by Trevor LeGassick with an introduction by Edward Said.
A collection of short stories.
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Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
novelist and sociologist. He was born December 4, 1936 into a Greek-Orthodox Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
family in Kafroun
Kafroun
Kafroun or Al-Kafroun is a Syrian town in the Tartous Governorate. It is situated about 40 miles from the major city of Hims in the An-Nusayriyah Mountains range at 550 metres above sea level, making it a summer resort for locals who want to escape the hot summer temperatures in the lowlands.It is...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, and raised in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
.
Career
Barakat received his bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
in 1955, and his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1960 in the same field. He received both from the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
. He received his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in social psychology
Social psychology
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. By this definition, scientific refers to the empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all...
in 1966 from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
From 1966 until 1972 he taught at the American University of Beirut. He then served as research fellow at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
from 1972 to 1973, and taught at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in 1975-1976. From 1976 until 2002 he was Teaching Research Professor at The Center for Contemporary Arab Studies of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
.
Barakat has written about twenty books and fifty essays on society and culture in journals such as the British Journal of Sociology
British Journal of Sociology
The British Journal of Sociology is an academic journal, founded in 1950 at the London School of Economics. The main founders were the sociologists Morris Ginsberg and Thomas Humphrey Marshall. Their intended title, "The London Journal of Sociology", seems to have been changed by the publisher...
, the Middle East Journal
Middle East Journal
The Middle East Journal is published by the Washington, D.C.-based Middle East Institute. It was first published in 1947, making it the oldest U.S. peer-reviewed publication on the modern Middle East...
, Mawakif and al-Mustaqbal al-Arabi. His publications are primarily concerned with difficulties
Problem
A problem is an obstacle, impediment, difficulty or challenge, or any situation that invites resolution; the resolution of which is recognized as a solution or contribution toward a known purpose or goal...
facing modern Arab societies such as alienation
Social alienation
The term social alienation has many discipline-specific uses; Roberts notes how even within the social sciences, it “is used to refer both to a personal psychological state and to a type of social relationship”...
, crisis
Crises
Crises is the eighth record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1983. Oldfield's well known hit "Moonlight Shadow" appears on the album.- Album analysis :...
of civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
, and a need for identity
Identity (social science)
Identity is a term used to describe a person's conception and expression of their individuality or group affiliations . The term is used more specifically in psychology and sociology, and is given a great deal of attention in social psychology...
, freedom and justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
. He has also published seven novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s and a collection of short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
. These are rich with symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
ism and allegory
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
to world events. His novel Six Days (Sitat Ayam, 1961) is prophetically named for a real war yet to come in 1967; as such, it became a prelude to the later novel Days of Dust ('Awdat al-Ta'ir ila al-Bahr, 1969), which unfolds the existential drama of the June War of 1967.
Selected Books
Ta'ir al-Howm (1988) A novel in Arabic translated into English by Bassam Frangieh and Roger Allen.Sitat Ayam (1961), a novel in Arabic translated into English by Bassam Frangieh and Scott McGehee.
From the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies' symposium, North Africa Today: Issues of Development and Integration, held at Georgetown University (1982). Introduction and chapter by Barakat.
Awdat Altair Ila albahr (1969), a novel in Arabic translated into English by Trevor LeGassick with an introduction by Edward Said.
A collection of short stories.
Additional Books, Articles, Reviews, Recordings
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