Standing by the Ruins: Elegiac Humanism in Wartime and Postwar Lebanon (Modern Language Initiative)

Since the mid-1970s, Lebanon has been at the center of the worldwide rise in sectarian extremism. Its cultural output has both mediated and resisted this rise. Standing by the Ruins reviews the role of culture in supporting sectarianism, yet argues for the emergence of a distinctive aesthetic of resistance to it. 
Focusing on contemporary Lebanese fiction, film, and popular culture, this book shows how artists reappropriated the twin legacies of commitment literature and the ancient topos of “standing by the ruins” to form a new “elegiac humanism” during the tumultuous period of 1975 to 2005. It redirects attention to the critical role of culture in conditioning attitudes throughout society and is therefore relevant to other societies facing sectarian extremism.
Standing by the Ruins is also a strong intervention in the burgeoning field of World Literature. Elaborating on the great Arabist Hilary Kilpatrick’s crucial insight that ancient Arabic forms and topoi filter into modern literature, the author details how the “standing by the ruins” topos―and the structure of feeling it conditions―has migrated over time. Modern Arabic novels, feature films, and popular culture, far from being simply cultural imports, are hybrid forms deployed to respond to the challenges of contemporary Arab society. As such, they can take their place within a World Literature paradigm: they are cultural products that travel and intervene in the world.

Literature & Fiction

Seigneurie, Ken

History & Criticism

Modern Language Initiative

Provides a student-friendly introduction to World Literature Bridging the gap between introductory materials and advanced scholarly research, the Concise Companion to World Literature offers a streamlined selection of the most popular and essential essays from The Companion to World Literature, specifically tailored for undergraduate students and instructors. This single-volume resource, edited by Ken Seigneurie and Paula Karger, presents 100 carefully curated chapters, fully revised for clarity and accompanied by newly commissioned essays. The Concise Companion, which retains the original work's three-tiered organizational structure--period essays, thematic bridge essays, and author-title chapters--offers a nuanced exploration of major literary traditions across time and geography. Each entry contextualizes major literary works within the broader framework of global literary traditions, enriching discussions on periodization, literary movements, and cross-cultural connections. With its accessible scholarship and enhanced learning tools, it is a vital resource for students beginning their journey in World Literature and for educators seeking a structured, easy-to-use reference. Providing an engaging approach to the vast landscape of global literary traditions, the Concise Companion to World Literature: <ul> <li>Features an entirely new introductory section that offers contemporary perspectives on World Literature</li> <li>Showcases a diverse array of global texts, authors, and traditions to deliver a broad and inclusive literary perspective</li> <li>Addresses key debates in World Literature, including periodization, cross-cultural exchange, and literary historiography</li> <li>Includes a new pedagogical supplement to assist instructors in course design and aid students in literary analysis</li> </ul> The Concise Companion to World Literature, designed for second- and third-year undergraduate students, is an essential resource for courses in World Literature, Comparative Literature, and Humanities programs. It is also a valuable tool for graduate students and faculty seeking an authoritative and easy-to-use reference for teaching and research in the field.

A Concise Companion to World Literature

Karger, Paula

Wiley/Blackwell

This volume explores the literary representation of social and political crises that have punctuated the second half of the 20th century in the Middle East. From the creation of the state of Israel and its continuing aftermath, to the Suez crisis, to the expulsion of the PLO from Jordan, to the Lebanese Civil War, literature "has been there" but seldom has it been considered a useful lens for understanding the causes and perpetuation of these crises. This collection of essays aims to show how literature can illuminate crises of ethnicity, gender, class, religion, and nation. While the contributors hail from several countries and display a variety of critical approaches, they all focus on the representation of space in narrative.

Crisis and Memory: The Representation of Space in Modern Levantine Narrative (Literaturen Im Kontext)

Dr Ludwig Reichert Verlag

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Books by Seigneurie, Ken