Arabic Literature and Arts Beyond the Canon

Summer School

Literature is often expected to educate and enlighten, document history, or comment on political and social realities. Yet throughout the history of Arabic literature – and in its contemporary forms – many works have pursued another goal: delighting readers through aesthetic experimentation, linguistic creativity, and literary play. In this Tandem Project, AGYA members Peter Konerding and Adam Talib challenge conventional approaches to Arabic literary studies by exploring these overlooked dimensions. Bringing together scholars from Europe and the Arab world, the project seeks to open new perspectives on Arabic literature while also strengthening transregional academic exchange.

Rethinking Arabic Literary Studies

Although international cooperation between European and Arab universities has expanded in recent years, significant barriers remain. Research published in Arabic often receives little attention in Europe, while scholarship published in English, German, or French is frequently difficult to access in many Arab countries. As a result, two vibrant scholarly traditions continue to develop largely in parallel rather than in dialogue.
Building on a decade of the successful AGYA summer school programme “Arabische Philologien im Blickwechsel / متعددة برؤى عربية دراسات نحو “, this project creates opportunities for young researchers to exchange ideas across linguistic, disciplinary, and geographical boundaries. Advanced master's students, doctoral researchers, and postdoctoral scholars from Europe and the Arab region will meet at the University of Malta for a bilingual Arabic-English summer school. Through collaborative discussions, research presentations, and mentoring sessions, participants will engage with both contemporary and classical Arabic literature while practicing academic communication across languages.

The thematic focus of the summer school sheds new light on the role of aesthetic enjoyment, individual taste, and non-canonical curiosities in literary history, moving beyond strict functionalist or political readings.’

Peter Konerding, AGYA member

Exploring Literature Beyond Canonical Duty

For decades, Arabic literary scholarship has primarily examined literature through the lenses of politics, social critique, national identity, and historical change. While these perspectives remain valuable, they often leave little room for appreciating literature as an artistic practice in its own right. This project proposes an alternative perspective by foregrounding aesthetic pleasure, formal experimentation, and creative freedom as essential dimensions of Arabic literary traditions.
The project deliberately bridges premodern and contemporary literary production. It highlights the linguistic virtuosity of classical genres such as the maqāmāt alongside modern forms of storytelling, including popular fiction, digital narratives, comics, fan fiction, and other creative media that are increasingly shaping contemporary Arabic culture. By considering both canonical and often overlooked literary forms, participants of the summer school will explore how enjoyment, curiosity, and artistic innovation have continuously shaped Arabic literature across centuries.

A Bilingual Summer School in the Heart of the Mediterranean

Hosted by the University of Malta, the seventh edition of the AGYA International Bilingual Summer School provides an ideal setting for this exchange. Located at the crossroads of Europe and the Arab world, Malta combines a unique historical, linguistic, and cultural heritage with a long-standing tradition of academic excellence in Arabic language and literature. 
Throughout the three-day programme, participants will discuss key theoretical texts, present their own research projects, attend public lectures by internationally renowned scholars, and receive individual mentoring from experienced academics. An important component of the programme is its bilingual format: while European participants further develop their academic Arabic, participants from Arab universities strengthen their academic English. 

Arabic literary traditions have always embraced beauty, playfulness, and experimentation alongside social engagement. By bringing scholars from across the Arab world and Europe into a shared bilingual space, we hope to rediscover these aesthetic dimensions together and enrich the ways we study, teach, and appreciate Arabic literature.‘

Adam Talib, AGYA member

Strengthening Transregional Knowledge Production

Beyond its immediate academic programme, the project aims to establish lasting research networks among emerging scholars working in Arabic literary and cultural studies. By encouraging bilingual knowledge production, interdisciplinary collaboration, and sustained exchange between European and Arab institutions, the summer school seeks to contribute to narrowing long-standing divides in international scholarship – demonstrating that exploring aesthetic pleasure and creative experimentation is not only essential for understanding Arabic literature, but also for building more connected, inclusive, and globally engaged academic communities.