Author: Joey Ayoub

kafala and racism

What it means to be black and African in Lebanon

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date June 29, 2020
2 Comments on What it means to be black and African in Lebanon

Raw stories from 21 black African students at the American University of Beirut

Tags Kafala system, Lebanon, racism

archives

The People Without Cinema, by Abounaddara

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date February 4, 2020
No Comments on The People Without Cinema, by Abounaddara

“They can only testify to the events they experience by exhibiting the indignity inflicted upon them”

archives

Launch of new book of Syrian citizen journalism

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date November 17, 2019
No Comments on Launch of new book of Syrian citizen journalism

Enab Baladi gave a voice to Syria's voiceless during the popular uprising and beyond © Enab Baladi

“Enab Baladi is a unique record of the Syrian people speaking without fear”

archives

Enab Baladi: Citizen Chronicles of the Syrian Uprising (Free PDF)

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date May 6, 2019
1 Comment on Enab Baladi: Citizen Chronicles of the Syrian Uprising (Free PDF)

Copies of Enab Baladi newspaper’s 45th issue among the debris of a destroyed building in the city of Daraya, rural Damascus (December 2013). Photo credit: Enab Baladi.

Hummus For Thought is pleased to announce the release of “Enab Baladi: Citizen Chronicles of the Syrian Uprising”, available as a free PDF.

feminism & masculinity

Lebanon’s militarized masculinity

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date January 6, 2019
No Comments on Lebanon’s militarized masculinity

Art by Dima Nachawi. Originally published on Al Jumhuriya.

“It is ‘normal’ to expect outbursts of violence in Lebanon, often coupled with grand displays of toxic masculinity and, often still, with sectarian/conservative pronouncements”

archives

An idea called Daraya

This is the story of an idea called Daraya. It is the story of a sick world.

Tags assad, Daraya, international community, Syria, the left

cinema

Sleepless Nights: Confessing Without The Confession

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date November 13, 2018
No Comments on Sleepless Nights: Confessing Without The Confession

Mariam Saiidi with a cardboard of her son, Maher.

“We hear many of these stories in the documentary, stories that exemplify Lebanon’s extraordinary tendency to defy whatever would seem to be in its own self-interest”

archives Syria and the Left

Wretched of the Earth: solidarity letters between Syria and Gaza

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date September 24, 2018
No Comments on Wretched of the Earth: solidarity letters between Syria and Gaza

Original Arabic with English translations below. (left:) من على حدود غزة في جمعة كسر الحصار تحية طيبة للحناجر الثائرة في إدلب التي خرجت تهتف لا دستور و لا أعمار حتى إسقاط بشار و الحرية للمعتقلين... جمعة #الحرية_للمعتقلين جمعة #كسر_الحصار جمعة #لا_دستور_ولا_أعمار_حتى_إسقاط_بشار الحرية للمعتقلين 21 أيلول الجمعة From Gaza's border on the Friday of Breaking the Siege, greetings to the rebellious throats in Idlib who went out and shouted, "No constitution, no reconstruction, until Bashar falls and freedom to the detainees"... Friday of #freedom_to_the_detainees Friday of #break_the_siege Friday of #no_constitution_no_reconstruction_until_Bashar_falls. Freedom to the detainees. 21 September Friday (right:) من مظاهرات مدينة الباب في ريف حلب الشرقي .. إلى أهلنا في مسيرات العودة على حدود غزة نحن معكم .. 21-9-2018 From demonstrations in the town of Al-Bab in Eastern Aleppo countryside.. to our people in the March of Return to Gaza's border— We are with you. 21-9-2018 Thanks to Leila Al Shami, Ramah Kudaimi, and Anas Alshamy for the images and to L. and N. for help with the translations. (Original Post by Jo Morales on Facebook)

“From Gaza’s border on the Friday of Breaking the Siege, greetings to the rebellious throats in Idlib who went out and shouted”

archives

How one book lover from besieged Daraya found solace in writers from Sarajevo and Palestine

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date August 29, 2018
No Comments on How one book lover from besieged Daraya found solace in writers from Sarajevo and Palestine

“Reading about Sarajevo is to feel less alone. It’s to tell oneself that others before us went through the same challenges. In another country. Another context.”

archives

Why Syrian refugees in Lebanon fear going back to an Assad-controlled Syria

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date July 23, 2018
1 Comment on Why Syrian refugees in Lebanon fear going back to an Assad-controlled Syria

Syrian refugees in Lebanon fear reprisals by the Assad regime in the form of homelessness, forced conscription, torture, or worse.

cinema

In Conversation with Mounia Akl, Director of ‘Submarine’

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date July 18, 2018
No Comments on In Conversation with Mounia Akl, Director of ‘Submarine’

In conversation with the director of ‘Submarine’ (2016), Mounia Akl

Tags In Conversation With

archives

On Rohini Hensman’s ‘Indefensible’

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date July 3, 2018
No Comments on On Rohini Hensman’s ‘Indefensible’

Rohini wished to understand how something which is seemingly so ‘pro-human’ (anti-imperialism) could be used to justify that which is inherently ‘anti-human’ (state oppression).

archives

I Don’t Have a #MyNakbaStory, So Here Are Other People’s Nakba Stories (+Resources)

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date May 15, 2018
3 Comments on I Don’t Have a #MyNakbaStory, So Here Are Other People’s Nakba Stories (+Resources)

Stories, Resources, Numbers

cinema

In Conversation with Ely Dagher, Director of ‘Waves ’98’

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date May 14, 2018
3 Comments on In Conversation with Ely Dagher, Director of ‘Waves ’98’

In conversation with the Palme D’Or-winning director of ‘Waves ’98’, Ely Dagher

Tags In Conversation With

cinema

Notes on Waves ’98

Waves ’98 is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating films from postwar Lebanon so far. Moving, elegant and multi-layered, it manages to portray both Omar’s lived experience as well as showing Beirut the current monstrosity that it is.

cinema

The Ghosts of Lebanon’s Present

Post author By Joey Ayoub
Post date April 5, 2018
2 Comments on The Ghosts of Lebanon’s Present

Claudia (Julia Kassar) reaching out to the ghost of her missing husband in Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige’s A Perfect Day (2005)

“Conflicting powers in Lebanon attempting to monopolize truth have created an environment in which “truth” cannot be determined by any recognizable social tool.”