Subject: Novel

Year of Publication: 2021

Subtitle: The Syrian Foal: Towards a Feminist Vision of the Syrian Issue

Readers of Asmaa Moaekel's critical and creative works are familiar with her profound interest in feminist issues and her subjective and objective engagement with critiquing and deconstructing patriarchal-masculine centrality. Her book “Biography of the Phoenix: From Male Centrality to Post-Feminine Centrality” explicitly demonstrates this intellectual, cognitive, and critical concern in scientifically and creatively confronting this male-centric view that has distorted human existence—society, culture, history, identity, and belonging—by negating the value, dignity, and sanctity of women. It has also burdened men with meanings destructive to their own humanity, enchanting them with torturous social and historical constructs like virility, machismo, and supposed innate superiority.

In her critique, she does not seek to create a false conflict with men by emulating their authoritarian and coercive tendencies, nor does she cast them as the central enemy in her feminist vision. Instead, she is acutely aware of the heavy burden posed by the curse of masculinity as an illusory privilege, activated by the power of maleness in its subjugation of women's free, active, and independent existence. She therefore transcends the trap of male-centric thinking that some feminist reactions fall into, by envisioning a world beyond the centrality of femininity.

Asmaa Moaekel did not enter the creative field relying solely on her literary talent and artistic taste. She built her intellectual and artistic presence on a solid cognitive and scientific foundation and on creative interpretations of literary works. This background qualified her to undertake the experience of “Biography of the Phoenix” with intellectual and critical boldness, where she critically analyzed a wide range of feminist literature by creators who have proven their ability to make significant contributions to the creative, intellectual, and cultural spheres.

• Category: Stories/Novels
• Author: Dr. Asmaa Moaekel
• Publisher: The Arab Institute for Studies and Publishing
• Language: Arabic
• Product Number: 95750