Contemporary Syrian Prison Culture

Catalog description

Syrian prison literature has developed into a substantial genre within Syrian literary circles, emerging as a defining feature of Syrian cultural production in the broader Arab region. This body of work encompasses writings not only by Syrians who have directly or indirectly experienced imprisonment, but also by Arab citizens from across the region who have endured incarceration in Syria and transformed their ordeals into testimonies, narratives, and artistic expressions, thereby enriching the corpus of Syrian prison literature. Scholars such as Wedeen, Ismail, Cook, Teleghani, and Bader Eddin have argued that the prison system, along with its pervasive use of violence, functioned as a crucial mechanism for the Assad regime to assert dominance over Syria and its people, shaping daily life as well as cultural production, and giving rise to the emergence and growth of prison literature from 1970 through the fall of Assad in December 2024. This course examines the place of the prison in Syrian culture through literature, film, songs, and other artistic forms, while also expanding beyond Syria to consider transnational, regional, and international perspectives on prison culture. By comparing and analyzing representations of incarceration across Arabic, English, French, and German sources, students will explore how imprisonment functions as a universal human practice with distinct cultural articulations. To deepen this engagement, the course will also host online conversations with novelists, artists, and journalists who will share their experiences and respond to student work, enabling participants to connect classroom knowledge with lived and creative perspectives beyond the academic setting. Satisfies Arab Studies major and minor requirement. Satisfies Visual and Performing Arts requirement. Satisfies Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.