Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Research Seminar Series: Anastasia Valassopoulos and Ruth Abou Rached In brief Date - 9 March 2026Venue - Room LG.09, 40 George SquareSpeakers - Professor Anastasia Valassopoulos (University of Manchester) and Dr Ruth Abou Rached (University of Manchester)Titles - The Peace Process and Popular Culture (Professor Valassopoulos); Hi/stories of Palestine as future memory: الصبار / צבר / Wild Thorns by Sahar Khalifeh (Dr Abou Rached) Email an IMES colleague to join online About the eventPlease note that both speakers in this event will be joining online.The Peace Process and Popular CultureThe talk examines the visual culture of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, analysing how “negotiation” became a dominant framework for understanding the conflict. The speaker explores how popular culture has shaped public perception of these negotiations, often simplifying complex issues for memorability. Valassopoulos argues that while negotiation remains the only internationally sanctioned political form of engagement, its representation has also contributed to the conflict’s persistence.Hi/stories of Palestine as future memory: الصبار / צבר / Wild Thorns by Sahar KhalifehSahar Khalifeh’s novel 'Wild Thorns' (1985) is presented on its blurbs in the English translation as “a true picture” of lived Palestinian experience in the West Bank, and in the 1978 Hebrew translation, a “true factual description of the territories.” Such claims about the novel as a translation evoke a multitude of questions: which hi/stories, truths, and facts, was Sahar Khalifeh mediating as sharing in each version? Why via these languages?In view of its multiple new re-publications in English, to what extent can this story of 1970s’ Palestine be read as a “future witness” to hi/stories and communities of Palestine emerging long after its first translations? Abou Rached will also discuss – to raise appreciation of - the earlier pathways via which Khalifeh’s novel was circulating and the (often) marginalised contexts of its many (para)translators.About the speakersAnastasia ValassopoulosProfessor Valassopoulos's main area of research is in the postcolonial literature and culture of the Middle East and North Africa. She is also very interested in the wider cultural production and reception of Arab women's film and music, such as the work of Moufida Tlatli and Umm Kulthum.More recently she has begun researching Arab cinema of the 60s and 70s and the impact of other national cinemas on Arab film, and the revolutionary cinema of the PLO and the cinema of the Arab Diaspora.Ruth Abou RachedDr Abou Rached specialises in teaching Arabic literary and cultural Studies, Translation Studies, in particular intersectional approaches to feminist translation in contexts of creative production of the Middle East North Africa (MENA). She works with organisations, educational, health and cultural, that create platforms of expression for under-represented groups. Her work in Translation Studies and MENA literatures was inspired by community work in the UK and living in the Middle East.About the seminar seriesThe Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies research seminar series, taking place during the spring semester 2026, draws upon theories and methodologies from the Humanities and Social Sciences to study Palestine through temporal and spatial narratives.The series aims to bring together academics, writers, and artists, both in person and online, to engage critically with knowledge production in Palestine Studies. Our guest speakers will unpack timely questions about colonial violence and various creative counternarratives in academia, literature, music, cinema, and the digital world.Some of the events are co-badged with: The Alwaleed Centre for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World, The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, and The School of Social and Political Sciences. We welcome you all to join us for these timely debates and discussions!How to attendEvents are free and everyone is welcome. No booking is required. If you wish to join online, you can email a colleague in IMES for joining information.All talks are followed by a reception. Email an IMES colleague to join online Are you interested in studying with us?We are the only university in Scotland to offer courses in the Muslim world's three main languages, placing Arabic, Persian and Turkish in the context of history, literature, culture, religion and politics, past and present.Choose from a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, including PhD programmes. Find out more about Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at Edinburgh Tags Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Mar 09 2026 17.15 - 18.30 Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Research Seminar Series: Anastasia Valassopoulos and Ruth Abou Rached Join us for a hybrid seminar by Professor Anastasia Valassopoulos (University of Manchester) and Dr Ruth Abou Rached (University of Manchester), who will, respectively, give presentations on the visual culture of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and hi/stories of Palestine as future memory. Room LG.09 40 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9JX Find the venue: 40 George Square Email an IMES colleague to join online
Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Research Seminar Series: Anastasia Valassopoulos and Ruth Abou Rached In brief Date - 9 March 2026Venue - Room LG.09, 40 George SquareSpeakers - Professor Anastasia Valassopoulos (University of Manchester) and Dr Ruth Abou Rached (University of Manchester)Titles - The Peace Process and Popular Culture (Professor Valassopoulos); Hi/stories of Palestine as future memory: الصبار / צבר / Wild Thorns by Sahar Khalifeh (Dr Abou Rached) Email an IMES colleague to join online About the eventPlease note that both speakers in this event will be joining online.The Peace Process and Popular CultureThe talk examines the visual culture of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, analysing how “negotiation” became a dominant framework for understanding the conflict. The speaker explores how popular culture has shaped public perception of these negotiations, often simplifying complex issues for memorability. Valassopoulos argues that while negotiation remains the only internationally sanctioned political form of engagement, its representation has also contributed to the conflict’s persistence.Hi/stories of Palestine as future memory: الصبار / צבר / Wild Thorns by Sahar KhalifehSahar Khalifeh’s novel 'Wild Thorns' (1985) is presented on its blurbs in the English translation as “a true picture” of lived Palestinian experience in the West Bank, and in the 1978 Hebrew translation, a “true factual description of the territories.” Such claims about the novel as a translation evoke a multitude of questions: which hi/stories, truths, and facts, was Sahar Khalifeh mediating as sharing in each version? Why via these languages?In view of its multiple new re-publications in English, to what extent can this story of 1970s’ Palestine be read as a “future witness” to hi/stories and communities of Palestine emerging long after its first translations? Abou Rached will also discuss – to raise appreciation of - the earlier pathways via which Khalifeh’s novel was circulating and the (often) marginalised contexts of its many (para)translators.About the speakersAnastasia ValassopoulosProfessor Valassopoulos's main area of research is in the postcolonial literature and culture of the Middle East and North Africa. She is also very interested in the wider cultural production and reception of Arab women's film and music, such as the work of Moufida Tlatli and Umm Kulthum.More recently she has begun researching Arab cinema of the 60s and 70s and the impact of other national cinemas on Arab film, and the revolutionary cinema of the PLO and the cinema of the Arab Diaspora.Ruth Abou RachedDr Abou Rached specialises in teaching Arabic literary and cultural Studies, Translation Studies, in particular intersectional approaches to feminist translation in contexts of creative production of the Middle East North Africa (MENA). She works with organisations, educational, health and cultural, that create platforms of expression for under-represented groups. Her work in Translation Studies and MENA literatures was inspired by community work in the UK and living in the Middle East.About the seminar seriesThe Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies research seminar series, taking place during the spring semester 2026, draws upon theories and methodologies from the Humanities and Social Sciences to study Palestine through temporal and spatial narratives.The series aims to bring together academics, writers, and artists, both in person and online, to engage critically with knowledge production in Palestine Studies. Our guest speakers will unpack timely questions about colonial violence and various creative counternarratives in academia, literature, music, cinema, and the digital world.Some of the events are co-badged with: The Alwaleed Centre for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World, The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, and The School of Social and Political Sciences. We welcome you all to join us for these timely debates and discussions!How to attendEvents are free and everyone is welcome. No booking is required. If you wish to join online, you can email a colleague in IMES for joining information.All talks are followed by a reception. Email an IMES colleague to join online Are you interested in studying with us?We are the only university in Scotland to offer courses in the Muslim world's three main languages, placing Arabic, Persian and Turkish in the context of history, literature, culture, religion and politics, past and present.Choose from a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, including PhD programmes. Find out more about Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at Edinburgh Tags Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Mar 09 2026 17.15 - 18.30 Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Research Seminar Series: Anastasia Valassopoulos and Ruth Abou Rached Join us for a hybrid seminar by Professor Anastasia Valassopoulos (University of Manchester) and Dr Ruth Abou Rached (University of Manchester), who will, respectively, give presentations on the visual culture of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and hi/stories of Palestine as future memory. Room LG.09 40 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9JX Find the venue: 40 George Square Email an IMES colleague to join online
Mar 09 2026 17.15 - 18.30 Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Research Seminar Series: Anastasia Valassopoulos and Ruth Abou Rached Join us for a hybrid seminar by Professor Anastasia Valassopoulos (University of Manchester) and Dr Ruth Abou Rached (University of Manchester), who will, respectively, give presentations on the visual culture of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and hi/stories of Palestine as future memory.
