I am a Lecturer in Arabic Studies, teaching Arabic Language & Literature, and curriculum development. My research interests focus on women's social movements in Syria and Egypt, the use of media language in representing women, and Arabic discourse analysis. I employ both qualitative and quantitative research methods. I hold a PhD in Arabic Studies from the University of Melbourne, Australia, with research centred on women's liberation discourse, and an MPhil in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Adelaide, Australia.I am a Lecturer in Arabic Studies, teaching Arabic language, culture, and curriculum development. My research interests focus on women's social movements in Syria and Egypt, the use of media language in representing women, and Arabic discourse analysis. I employ both qualitative and quantitative research methods. I hold a PhD in Arabic Studies from the University of Melbourne, Australia, with research centred on women's liberation discourse, and an MPhil in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Adelaide, Australia.
Most studies of the distinguished 19th-century Arab scholar and reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh focus on... more Most studies of the distinguished 19th-century Arab scholar and reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh focus on the religious reforms he instigated. Very few studies discuss his vision for modernisation through educational, social and political reforms. 'Abduh realised these reforms were necessary for creating a civil society based on a new mode of urbanity (madaniyya). This article examines how Muḥammad ʻAbduh managed to bridge the gap between secular modernists and religious traditionalists by reinterpreting Islamic doctrine with a contemporary outlook and emphasising how the Islamic faith could shield people from the moral temptations, traps and pitfalls that modern European people were facing. In his view, achieving this new mode of urbanity was mandatory for the Arab world to keep up with the urban development, social progress and scientific advancements occurring in the West.
The nineteenth century was characterized by major educational reforms in the Arab World. One of t... more The nineteenth century was characterized by major educational reforms in the Arab World. One of the unintended outcomes of colonization in Arab countries was the initiation of women liberation as well as the introduction of modern education and its application in sensitizing people on the rights of women and their liberation. The reforms were often attributed to various undercurrents that took place at different levels within the Ottoman Empire, and particularly the arrival and influence of the Christian missionaries were supported by the American and European governments. These trends were also significantly attributed to the increase in the presence of Europeans in the region, as well as the introduction of secular ideas and approaches related to the meaning of modernity. Using literary analysis as a method, this paper examines the role of an important male figure like the political activist and writer Qāsim Amīn and the religious reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh in starting this discours...
Background:Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic eve... more Background:Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic events and implicated in the development and maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Anger is also a risk factor for aggression and violence. With millions of Syrians having to flee and being refugees in other countries, anger was rarely assessed as there was no brief robust tool for anger in Arabic. Objective: To develop and test an Arabic version of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions 5 (DAR-5) scale, a five-question scale to screen for anger distress and problematic anger in adults and adolescentsMethod:DAR-5 was translated into Arabic, then back translated into English, and finally re-checked for accuracy. Participants were 1641 Syrian adults, (621 males and 1020 females) and 784 adolescents aged between 14-16 years old (355 male and 429 female). Only Arabic speaking participants were included. Measures included the DAR-5 Arabic version (DAR-5 A) for both samples the Depress...
It has been commonplace among Arab scholars to look at the relationship with the West, since Napo... more It has been commonplace among Arab scholars to look at the relationship with the West, since Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt, as being a continuous struggle against Western hegemony and colonial interests. This dominating trend has obliterated the fact that in the nineteenth century many Arab intellectuals, as well as the majority of the general public, embraced the West with open arms despite the colonial agenda. In their enthusiastic engagement with the new ideas of the French Revolution and the European Enlightenment, Western hegemony and colonial interests were issues of minor concern. The Arab community’s relentless drive for scientific advancement and new forms of urban living overshadowed all else in their proactive interactions with the West. Starting from this positive view of the engagement with the West, this study focuses on the emergence of the so-called “new urbanity” (al-tamaddun al-jadīd) in the Arab world. It aims to show how this tamaddun, which was seen as a universal, cross-cultural and inter-civilizational trend, was driven by new modes of education (the schools and universities), and promoted by new forms of mass media (the journals and newspapers). Education and journalism, the study argues, present the clearest evidence of the uninhibited, positive, and constructive interactions with Europe, clearly demonstrating how Arab intellectuals and the wider public wholeheartedly adopted and promoted Western thinking and modes of living. The concept of al-tamaddun al-jadīd had a wide scope. It encompassed both the material and cultural aspects of new urban living, including everything from the design of a spoon to the design of a city. This study focuses on “architecture” that was conceived as an integral part of the new science of engineering, which dramatically changed the face of the traditional city and had a significant impact on modern ways of life. It attempts to trace the emergence of the modern schools of architecture through the establishment of Muhandis Khāna. It shows how – under the banner of al-tamaddun al-jadīd – the institutionalisation of professional architectural education undermined traditional crafts, changed the social status of the architect, brought about new building practices, and introduced new architectural and urban forms. The study shows how the intellectual and scientific dynamism of the West found its way into the Arab world, how the Arabs strove so eagerly to catch up with the developments in modern science and technology, how Arab women contributed to the development of a new sense of tamaddun, and how embracing all aspects of modern urbanity resulted in one of the most promising episodes in modern Arab history.
Background: Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic ev... more Background: Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic events. Anger is also a risk factor for aggression and violence. With millions of Syrians having to flee and being refugees in other countries, anger was rarely assessed as there was no brief robust tool for anger in Arabic. Objective: To develop and test an Arabic version of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions 5 (DAR-5) scale, a fivequestion scale to screen for anger distress and problematic anger in adults and adolescents. Method: DAR-5 was translated into Arabic, then back translated into English, and finally rechecked for accuracy. Participants were 1641 Syrian adults, (621 males and 1020 females) and 784 Syrian adolescents (355 males and 429 females) aged between 14 and 16 years old. Only Arabic speaking participants were included. Measures included the DAR-5 Arabic version (DAR-5-A) for both samples, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) for the adults, and the Children Revised Impact of Events Scale-8 for the adolescents. Results: High levels of internal reliability were reported and factor analysis found that DAR-5-A scores fit as a single-factor model. This cut off score also differentiated between high and low scores on anxiety, depression and stress. Conclusions: This study reinforces the importance of assessing for anger in these populations. The DAR-5-A is written in formal Arabic and and a critical measure that can be used as a brief measure to assess for problematic anger in Arabic-speaking communities, either online or in paper questionnaires in adults and adolescents.
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2019
The nineteenth century was characterized by major educational reforms in the Arab World. One of t... more The nineteenth century was characterized by major educational reforms in the Arab World. One of the unintended outcomes of colonization in Arab countries was the initiation of women liberation as well as the introduction of modern education and its application in sensitizing people on the rights of women and their liberation. The reforms were often attributed to various undercurrents that took place at different levels within the Ottoman Empire, and particularly the arrival and influence of the Christian missionaries were supported by the American and European governments. These trends were also significantly attributed to the increase in the presence of Europeans in the region, as well as the introduction of secular ideas and approaches related to the meaning of modernity. Using literary analysis as a method, this paper examines the role of an important male figure like the political activist and writer Qāsim Amīn and the religious reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh in starting this discourse and shows their impact on the emancipation of women movement (Taḥrīr), and how later women led the movement with their published work. This paper explores Arab Salons and the initiation of women's literary circles. Women from wealthy families in Egypt and Syria who had studied in Europe or interacted with European counterparts began these circles. These salons acted as central locations where people could meet and hold discussions on political, social, and literary trends as they happened each day. The paper concludes with a discussion of current debates between the Islamist and the secularist branches of the movement today. While the Islamists believe that adhering to the core of Islam with some of its contested position on women is a modern ideology of liberation that fits the current culture of modern time Egypt; the secularists argue that the influence that Islam has on the women's liberation movement in Egypt has been a threat to the natural success and progress of the movement, which was initiated in the early nineteenth century independent of the more recent trends towards religiosity in the country.
يتفق الباحثون العرب في نظرتهم إلى العلاقة مع الغرب، منذ غزو نابليون لمصر، على أنها حلقة من الصراع... more يتفق الباحثون العرب في نظرتهم إلى العلاقة مع الغرب، منذ غزو نابليون لمصر، على أنها حلقة من الصراع المستمر للهيمنة وتحقيق المصالح الاستعمارية. في كتابه الأشهر، الاستشراق، يطرح إدوارد سعيد الأسس وأدوات التنظير الكامنة خلف هذا النمط من التفكير. وقد أدى هذا التيار الفكري السائد إلى إغفال حقيقة كون كثير من المفكرين العرب في القرن الثامن عشر، إلى جانب الأغلبية الجماهيرية، تقبّلا الغرب رغم أجندته الاستعمارية. لذا، فإن محور التركيز في الورقة الحالية ينصبّ على ظهور الصحافة العربية، كنتيجة للتفاعلات العربية - الأوروبية، ودورها الفاعل في نشر الفكر الغربي والتمدن الحديث في العالم العربي.
Most studies of the distinguished 19th-century Arab scholar and reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh focus o... more Most studies of the distinguished 19th-century Arab scholar and reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh focus on the religious reforms he instigated. Very few studies discuss his vision for modernisation through educational, social and political reforms. ‘Abduh realised these reforms were necessary for creating a civil society based on a new mode of urbanity (madaniyya). This article examines how Muḥammad ʻAbduh managed to bridge the gap between secular modernists and religious traditionalists by reinterpreting Islamic doctrine with a contemporary outlook and emphasising how the Islamic faith could shield people from the moral temptations, traps and pitfalls that modern European people were facing. In his view, achieving this new mode of urbanity was mandatory for the Arab world to keep up with the urban development, social progress and scientific advancements occurring in theWest.
Most studies of the distinguished 19th-century Arab scholar and reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh focus on... more Most studies of the distinguished 19th-century Arab scholar and reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh focus on the religious reforms he instigated. Very few studies discuss his vision for modernisation through educational, social and political reforms. 'Abduh realised these reforms were necessary for creating a civil society based on a new mode of urbanity (madaniyya). This article examines how Muḥammad ʻAbduh managed to bridge the gap between secular modernists and religious traditionalists by reinterpreting Islamic doctrine with a contemporary outlook and emphasising how the Islamic faith could shield people from the moral temptations, traps and pitfalls that modern European people were facing. In his view, achieving this new mode of urbanity was mandatory for the Arab world to keep up with the urban development, social progress and scientific advancements occurring in the West.
The nineteenth century was characterized by major educational reforms in the Arab World. One of t... more The nineteenth century was characterized by major educational reforms in the Arab World. One of the unintended outcomes of colonization in Arab countries was the initiation of women liberation as well as the introduction of modern education and its application in sensitizing people on the rights of women and their liberation. The reforms were often attributed to various undercurrents that took place at different levels within the Ottoman Empire, and particularly the arrival and influence of the Christian missionaries were supported by the American and European governments. These trends were also significantly attributed to the increase in the presence of Europeans in the region, as well as the introduction of secular ideas and approaches related to the meaning of modernity. Using literary analysis as a method, this paper examines the role of an important male figure like the political activist and writer Qāsim Amīn and the religious reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh in starting this discours...
Background:Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic eve... more Background:Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic events and implicated in the development and maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Anger is also a risk factor for aggression and violence. With millions of Syrians having to flee and being refugees in other countries, anger was rarely assessed as there was no brief robust tool for anger in Arabic. Objective: To develop and test an Arabic version of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions 5 (DAR-5) scale, a five-question scale to screen for anger distress and problematic anger in adults and adolescentsMethod:DAR-5 was translated into Arabic, then back translated into English, and finally re-checked for accuracy. Participants were 1641 Syrian adults, (621 males and 1020 females) and 784 adolescents aged between 14-16 years old (355 male and 429 female). Only Arabic speaking participants were included. Measures included the DAR-5 Arabic version (DAR-5 A) for both samples the Depress...
It has been commonplace among Arab scholars to look at the relationship with the West, since Napo... more It has been commonplace among Arab scholars to look at the relationship with the West, since Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt, as being a continuous struggle against Western hegemony and colonial interests. This dominating trend has obliterated the fact that in the nineteenth century many Arab intellectuals, as well as the majority of the general public, embraced the West with open arms despite the colonial agenda. In their enthusiastic engagement with the new ideas of the French Revolution and the European Enlightenment, Western hegemony and colonial interests were issues of minor concern. The Arab community’s relentless drive for scientific advancement and new forms of urban living overshadowed all else in their proactive interactions with the West. Starting from this positive view of the engagement with the West, this study focuses on the emergence of the so-called “new urbanity” (al-tamaddun al-jadīd) in the Arab world. It aims to show how this tamaddun, which was seen as a universal, cross-cultural and inter-civilizational trend, was driven by new modes of education (the schools and universities), and promoted by new forms of mass media (the journals and newspapers). Education and journalism, the study argues, present the clearest evidence of the uninhibited, positive, and constructive interactions with Europe, clearly demonstrating how Arab intellectuals and the wider public wholeheartedly adopted and promoted Western thinking and modes of living. The concept of al-tamaddun al-jadīd had a wide scope. It encompassed both the material and cultural aspects of new urban living, including everything from the design of a spoon to the design of a city. This study focuses on “architecture” that was conceived as an integral part of the new science of engineering, which dramatically changed the face of the traditional city and had a significant impact on modern ways of life. It attempts to trace the emergence of the modern schools of architecture through the establishment of Muhandis Khāna. It shows how – under the banner of al-tamaddun al-jadīd – the institutionalisation of professional architectural education undermined traditional crafts, changed the social status of the architect, brought about new building practices, and introduced new architectural and urban forms. The study shows how the intellectual and scientific dynamism of the West found its way into the Arab world, how the Arabs strove so eagerly to catch up with the developments in modern science and technology, how Arab women contributed to the development of a new sense of tamaddun, and how embracing all aspects of modern urbanity resulted in one of the most promising episodes in modern Arab history.
Background: Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic ev... more Background: Anger is a normal human emotion that is a common response to potentially traumatic events. Anger is also a risk factor for aggression and violence. With millions of Syrians having to flee and being refugees in other countries, anger was rarely assessed as there was no brief robust tool for anger in Arabic. Objective: To develop and test an Arabic version of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions 5 (DAR-5) scale, a fivequestion scale to screen for anger distress and problematic anger in adults and adolescents. Method: DAR-5 was translated into Arabic, then back translated into English, and finally rechecked for accuracy. Participants were 1641 Syrian adults, (621 males and 1020 females) and 784 Syrian adolescents (355 males and 429 females) aged between 14 and 16 years old. Only Arabic speaking participants were included. Measures included the DAR-5 Arabic version (DAR-5-A) for both samples, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) for the adults, and the Children Revised Impact of Events Scale-8 for the adolescents. Results: High levels of internal reliability were reported and factor analysis found that DAR-5-A scores fit as a single-factor model. This cut off score also differentiated between high and low scores on anxiety, depression and stress. Conclusions: This study reinforces the importance of assessing for anger in these populations. The DAR-5-A is written in formal Arabic and and a critical measure that can be used as a brief measure to assess for problematic anger in Arabic-speaking communities, either online or in paper questionnaires in adults and adolescents.
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2019
The nineteenth century was characterized by major educational reforms in the Arab World. One of t... more The nineteenth century was characterized by major educational reforms in the Arab World. One of the unintended outcomes of colonization in Arab countries was the initiation of women liberation as well as the introduction of modern education and its application in sensitizing people on the rights of women and their liberation. The reforms were often attributed to various undercurrents that took place at different levels within the Ottoman Empire, and particularly the arrival and influence of the Christian missionaries were supported by the American and European governments. These trends were also significantly attributed to the increase in the presence of Europeans in the region, as well as the introduction of secular ideas and approaches related to the meaning of modernity. Using literary analysis as a method, this paper examines the role of an important male figure like the political activist and writer Qāsim Amīn and the religious reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh in starting this discourse and shows their impact on the emancipation of women movement (Taḥrīr), and how later women led the movement with their published work. This paper explores Arab Salons and the initiation of women's literary circles. Women from wealthy families in Egypt and Syria who had studied in Europe or interacted with European counterparts began these circles. These salons acted as central locations where people could meet and hold discussions on political, social, and literary trends as they happened each day. The paper concludes with a discussion of current debates between the Islamist and the secularist branches of the movement today. While the Islamists believe that adhering to the core of Islam with some of its contested position on women is a modern ideology of liberation that fits the current culture of modern time Egypt; the secularists argue that the influence that Islam has on the women's liberation movement in Egypt has been a threat to the natural success and progress of the movement, which was initiated in the early nineteenth century independent of the more recent trends towards religiosity in the country.
يتفق الباحثون العرب في نظرتهم إلى العلاقة مع الغرب، منذ غزو نابليون لمصر، على أنها حلقة من الصراع... more يتفق الباحثون العرب في نظرتهم إلى العلاقة مع الغرب، منذ غزو نابليون لمصر، على أنها حلقة من الصراع المستمر للهيمنة وتحقيق المصالح الاستعمارية. في كتابه الأشهر، الاستشراق، يطرح إدوارد سعيد الأسس وأدوات التنظير الكامنة خلف هذا النمط من التفكير. وقد أدى هذا التيار الفكري السائد إلى إغفال حقيقة كون كثير من المفكرين العرب في القرن الثامن عشر، إلى جانب الأغلبية الجماهيرية، تقبّلا الغرب رغم أجندته الاستعمارية. لذا، فإن محور التركيز في الورقة الحالية ينصبّ على ظهور الصحافة العربية، كنتيجة للتفاعلات العربية - الأوروبية، ودورها الفاعل في نشر الفكر الغربي والتمدن الحديث في العالم العربي.
Most studies of the distinguished 19th-century Arab scholar and reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh focus o... more Most studies of the distinguished 19th-century Arab scholar and reformer Muḥammad ʻAbduh focus on the religious reforms he instigated. Very few studies discuss his vision for modernisation through educational, social and political reforms. ‘Abduh realised these reforms were necessary for creating a civil society based on a new mode of urbanity (madaniyya). This article examines how Muḥammad ʻAbduh managed to bridge the gap between secular modernists and religious traditionalists by reinterpreting Islamic doctrine with a contemporary outlook and emphasising how the Islamic faith could shield people from the moral temptations, traps and pitfalls that modern European people were facing. In his view, achieving this new mode of urbanity was mandatory for the Arab world to keep up with the urban development, social progress and scientific advancements occurring in theWest.
This bookexplores the fascinating and complex interactions between the ways that culture and educ... more This bookexplores the fascinating and complex interactions between the ways that culture and education operate within and across societies. In some cases, education is imagined as an integrated part of general cultural phenomena; in others, educational interventions become the means for transforming the cultural circumstances of different populations. The contributors to this volume show how certain educational practices produce new cultural and professional knowledge; discuss the impacts of initially foreign educational ideas and institutions on established cultural institutions in very different societies; and explore the impacts of modernity and modern educational ideas on more traditional gendered and religious practices and communities.
The book also provided striking examples of when these impacts were not benign. Increasingly powerful twentieth-century governments attempted to use education and schools to produce new, reformed citizens suitable for their newly created colonial, national, socialist, and fascist states. The expectation was that cultural and social transformation might be engineered, in major part, through schooling.
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Starting from this positive view of the engagement with the West, this study focuses on the emergence of the so-called “new urbanity” (al-tamaddun al-jadīd) in the Arab world. It aims to show how this tamaddun, which was seen as a universal, cross-cultural and inter-civilizational trend, was driven by new modes of education (the schools and universities), and promoted by new forms of mass media (the journals and newspapers). Education and journalism, the study argues, present the clearest evidence of the uninhibited, positive, and constructive interactions with Europe, clearly demonstrating how Arab intellectuals and the wider public wholeheartedly adopted and promoted Western thinking and modes of living.
The concept of al-tamaddun al-jadīd had a wide scope. It encompassed both the material and cultural aspects of new urban living, including everything from the design of a spoon to the design of a city. This study focuses on “architecture” that was conceived as an integral part of the new science of engineering, which dramatically changed the face of the traditional city and had a significant impact on modern ways of life. It attempts to trace the emergence of the modern schools of architecture through the establishment of Muhandis Khāna. It shows how – under the banner of al-tamaddun al-jadīd – the institutionalisation of professional architectural education undermined traditional crafts, changed the social status of the architect, brought about new building practices, and introduced new architectural and urban forms. The study shows how the intellectual and scientific dynamism of the West found its way into the Arab world, how the Arabs strove so eagerly to catch up with the developments in modern science and technology, how Arab women contributed to the development of a new sense of tamaddun, and how embracing all aspects of modern urbanity resulted in one of the most promising episodes in modern Arab history.
Starting from this positive view of the engagement with the West, this study focuses on the emergence of the so-called “new urbanity” (al-tamaddun al-jadīd) in the Arab world. It aims to show how this tamaddun, which was seen as a universal, cross-cultural and inter-civilizational trend, was driven by new modes of education (the schools and universities), and promoted by new forms of mass media (the journals and newspapers). Education and journalism, the study argues, present the clearest evidence of the uninhibited, positive, and constructive interactions with Europe, clearly demonstrating how Arab intellectuals and the wider public wholeheartedly adopted and promoted Western thinking and modes of living.
The concept of al-tamaddun al-jadīd had a wide scope. It encompassed both the material and cultural aspects of new urban living, including everything from the design of a spoon to the design of a city. This study focuses on “architecture” that was conceived as an integral part of the new science of engineering, which dramatically changed the face of the traditional city and had a significant impact on modern ways of life. It attempts to trace the emergence of the modern schools of architecture through the establishment of Muhandis Khāna. It shows how – under the banner of al-tamaddun al-jadīd – the institutionalisation of professional architectural education undermined traditional crafts, changed the social status of the architect, brought about new building practices, and introduced new architectural and urban forms. The study shows how the intellectual and scientific dynamism of the West found its way into the Arab world, how the Arabs strove so eagerly to catch up with the developments in modern science and technology, how Arab women contributed to the development of a new sense of tamaddun, and how embracing all aspects of modern urbanity resulted in one of the most promising episodes in modern Arab history.
The book also provided striking examples of when these impacts were not benign. Increasingly powerful twentieth-century governments attempted to use education and schools to produce new, reformed citizens suitable for their newly created colonial, national, socialist, and fascist states. The expectation was that cultural and social transformation might be engineered, in major part, through schooling.