Please note: This session will start at 4pm, the following sessions at 4.30 pm!

Texts: Abdelfattah Kilito, “Foreword: In Praise of Pretense.” Transl. Shawkat M. Toorawa. al-Ḥarīrī: Impostures, transl. Michael Cooperson. New York: New York University Press, 2020, ix-xv; Michael Cooperson, “Note on the Translation,” ibid., xxix-xlv.

Chair: Asmaa Essakouti

Scholars of premodern Arabic, Persian, Syriac, and other, including modern, literatures meet every two weeks to discuss milestones of literary theory and recent contributions to narrative studies (mostly in English) as well as notable literary pieces, with a particular focus on the topic of (narrative) framing. “Framing narratives” indicates both the possible framing quality that narratives offer and the framing of narrative(s), it implies, in other words, that narratives often do frame and are themselves framed. Participating researchers are invited to present their own research questions and publication projects along the discussed material.

The fortnightly online meetings in the winter term of 2021/22 are to be carried on until April 6, 2022.

It is possible to join the group at any given time. Please contact johannes.stephan@fu-berlin.de for participation.