Introduction to the CAL Encyclopedia
Discover Contemporary Arab(ic) Literature with the CAL Enyclopedia!
What started in February 2017 as a passion project by Desiree Custers, co-founder & director of the EWANA Center for Cultural Understanding, has over the past years blossomed into a treasure trove of contemporary Arab(ic) literature!
Years ago, while diving into her Arabic language studies, Desiree noticed a gap: no comprehensive encyclopaedia in Western languages offered a clear overview of the themes in modern Arabic literature. As a frevent reader, she turned to academic papers and articles to guide her next literary adventure. Along the way, she began categorising recurring themes and linking them to the socio-political histories of the Arab-majority world.
What began as a personal project then grew into an extensive document brimming with themes, subthemes, and literary works reflecting a broad thematic scope and historical overview.
Enter the Contemporary Arab(ic) Literature (CAL) Encyclopedia! Now part of the EWANA Center, the CAL Encyclopedia is on a mission to become a free digital platform accessible to all. Here’s why this is so exciting:
Why Literature?
Literature is more than stories—it’s a lens through which we understand cultural, social, and political change. It offers a personal and human perspective on (historical) events and enables us to reflect on our individual and collective experiences. Through literature, worlds are revealed, and connections are made.
Goals of the CAL Encyclopedia
Following this rationale CAL Encyclopedia is a digital literary platform entailing an overview of contemporary Arab(ic) literature to understand recent socio-political developments in West Asia, North Africa (WANA), and other regions where Arab(ic) literature is written and produced, with the goal of:
- Showing the thematic and topical scope of contemporary Arab(ic) literature for those interested in Arabic and the WANA region;
- Showing how themes and topics in contemporary Arab(ic) literature relate to each other and to their social, economic, political, and cultural context;
- Suggesting new ideas for the translation of Arabic literature;
- Making contemporary Arab(ic) literature more accessible to those new to the Arabic language and the WANA region;
- Providing references for further information on Arab(ic) literature.
Whats in the CAL Encyclopedia?
The literature presented through the CAL project is selected based on extensive reading of Arabic, French, and English-language academic and non-academic sources. The encyclopedia looks at Arab(ic) literature from 1945 onwards. It chose this date because the developments in the WANA region at this time initiated a change in the themes and styles in Arab(ic) literature (see for more in Introduction and Methodology).
The CAL project considers a work part of contemporary Arab(ic) literature when it meets at least two of the following three criteria: 1) written in Arabic; 2) written by a writer of Arab origin; and/or 3) written on a topic of relevance to the WANA region. Lastly, literature referred to in this project includes novels, short stories, and theater pieces. Left out is poetry, since this category of literature has a very specific history in the WANA region that is independent of other literary genres.
On the EWANA Center for Cultural Understanding
The EWANA Center for Cultural Understanding was founded to spark cultural exchange and foster understanding between Europe, West Asia, and North Africa. We believe cultural growth is at the heart of human progress, paving the way for inclusivity in social, economic, and political life. See our website for more on our activities and vision: https://ewanacenter.org/
Team Members
Desiree Custers
Author of the CAL-encyclopaedia and co-founder and director of the EWANA Center for Cultural Understanding
Laura Bannan-Fischer
Website-wizard for the CAL-project and chair of the Board of the EWANA Center for Cultural Understanding
CAL Advisors
Adnan Charakh
Adnan Charakh is a published translator and capacity-building specialist with a passion for connecting literature and cultural inquiry to leadership development. He currently serves as a Youth Advisory Board Member with the British Council and as Training Development Advisor at the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights (IOHR). Previously, he was Cultural Advisor at the Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD), a leading Iraqi think tank he co-founded, and Senior Manager of Training at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani. Adnan has translated and published three books from English into Arabic, along with several articles. He is dedicated to cultivating a new generation of leaders inspired by literature, empathy, and critical thinking. Adnan Charakh is advisor to the CAL project on literature from Iraq.
Donor information
The development of the CAL digital literary platform has been supported by the Stichting Oosters Institute
Logo Design: Bashar Zeen