Amman, Nov. 21 (Petra)-- Imad Al-Abadi - The first International Conference on Contemporary Arab Diaspora Literature will kick off tomorrow, Saturday, in Amman, bringing together a wide range of scholars and writers from around the world for a two-day academic gathering.

Yousef Abu Amerieh, professor at the University of Jordan and head of the Contemporary Arab Diaspora Literature Studies Group, said the event constitutes a significant scholarly milestone not only for Jordan but for the Arab world as a whole, being the first Arab conference with an international, specialized focus on this nuanced literary field.

Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Abu Amerieh explained that the conference is organized by the research group in cooperation with the British Council for Levant Studies. Sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Council’s headquarters on Al-Baouniyeh Street in Jabal Al-Luweibdeh, with the participation of distinguished researchers and writers from the Arab region and abroad.

He noted that more than 50 research papers will be presented by participants representing 15 countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Qatar, Egypt, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Palestine, and Jordan.

"This broad international presence underscores the importance of the conference and its role in reshaping the future of literary and cultural studies related to diaspora literature, especially amid the major transformations this field is witnessing at the levels of language, vision, and human experience," he said.

According to Abu Amerieh, the academic papers focus on cultural identity, intercultural exchange, and the role of language and translation in transmitting ideas across nations. They also explore the impact of technology on the formation of modern literary genres and revisit the temporal and spatial portrayals of diaspora in the works of Arab-origin novelists, poets, and playwrights writing in global languages.

The conference will also examine the works of prominent writers of Arab descent living in the West, including Fadia Faqir, Diana Abu-Jaber, Isabella Hammad, Hisham Matar, and others who have enriched the literary scene in non-Arabic languages.

Abu Amerieh revealed that one of the conference’s central objectives is to establish a new theoretical framework for understanding texts written in global languages by authors of Arab origin, stressing that this field "remains in an early stage of critical formation and requires deeper methodological approaches." He added that hosting such a conference in Amman reflects Jordan’s cultural and academic role in fostering dialogue among nations and consolidating its position as a leading research and cultural hub in the region.

Those interested may view session details, schedules, and research abstracts on the research group’s website dedicated to diaspora literature.

//Petra// MF