UW News

April 29, 2011

Life of author Husain Al-Barghouthi to be remembered May 2

UW News

The life and writing of Husain Al-Barghouthi, a UW alumni who became a professor and respected Palestinian author before his death in 2002, will be remembered in an event at 4 p.m. Monday, May 2, in 120 Communications. A reception will follow at 5:30 p.m. in room 204.

In the early 1990s,  Al-Barghouthi graduated from the UW with a doctorate in Comparative Literature.  Within a few years, he became one of the most respected contemporary Palestinian authors and, as a professor, inspired thousands of Palestinian students at Birzeit University in the West Bank. He documented his Seattle experience in his book, The Blue Light, which chronicled his adventures as he attempted to comprehend his life mission during his exile from home.

Al-Barghouthi died of cancer on May 1, 2002, in Ramallah. At the age of 47.

At this event, we will remember the author through a series of talks and a short tribute film. Ibrahim Muhawi of the University of Oregon will situate Al-Barghouthis work in the context of Palestinian literature.  Amal Eqeiq of the UW Comparative Literature Department will discuss the relevance of The Blue Light as a piece of world literature. And Samer Al-Saber,of the UW School of Drama, will analyze Al-Barghouthi’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet during the Oslo period.

The evening will be interspersed with various readings of Al-Barghouthis poetry by Arabic speakers and will conclude with Salim Abu Jabal’s tribute film on this great author.

This event is co-sponsored by The Simpson Center for Humanities, Department of Comparative Literature, English Department, The Middle East Center and Distinguished Members from the Arab-American Community in Washington.