The Politics and Poetics of Ameen Rihani: The Humanist Ideology of an Arab-American Intellectual and Activist

Ameen Rihani was a pioneering Arab-American writer and activist, a leading figure in the development of the 'mahjar' literary movement and the most prominent Arab humanist intellectual of the twentieth century. Undertaking a comprehensive and critical reading of Rihani's Arabic and English writings, Nijmeh Hajjar examines the dialectical link between Rihani's life experiences and his ideas and activism. He explores Rihani's secular humanist vision of Arab progress, democracy and social justice, and concern for respectful relations between the Arab world and the West. This fascinating illustration of an Arab-American encounter contributes to post-colonial discourse and provides a balancing counterpoint to the predominant ideological clash of civilizations paradigms.

'Dr Hajjar's text on Ameen Rihani is the first major work in any language on this leading Arab-American writer, intellectual, political activist and traveller. - [which] brings out Rihani's humanist approaches and his constant endeavours to bridge the gap, be it in the field of cultural misunderstanding or social development, between Western societies and Eastern nations - Hajjar has skillfully placed Rihani in his particular historical context, while succeeding at the same time in demonstrating the relevance of his ideas and cultural vision to contemporary issues and challenges faced by both the West and the Muslim world.' - Professor Youssef Choueiri, Islamic Studies, School of Arts, Histories and Cultures, University of Manchester;

'This study is a real tour de force of the thought and activism of Ameen Rihani, a prominent Arab-American intellectual of the twentieth century, and a pioneer of the modern Arab literary and intellectual renaissance. With her fine scholarship, Dr Hajjar convincingly demonstrates how Rihani's humanist outlook and intellectual activity were very much concerned with engaging both East and West - This is a particularly timely [book] in the light of the current search for global peace and cultural dialogue today. It should contribute positively to a better understanding of the difficulties, fears and hopes of our own times, and provide a shift away from the barren paradigms of 'clash of civilizations'.' - Professor Ahmad Shboul, AM, Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, The University of Sydney

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