The aim of my habilitation (2024) was twofold: first, to establish the study of trauma as a significant field within Arabic literary studies; and second, to critically engage with and challenge certain aspects of trauma theory and research within Arabic studies. To achieve this, I developed a new theoretical framework [see https://ojs.unito.it/index.php/kervan/article/view/12498] for a more systematic examination of trauma in Arabic literature—one that is more attuned to the political and ethical implications of trauma research in literary studies. Furthermore, my work demonstrates that contemporary Arabic literature can offer valuable insights into the social world, extending beyond local and regional boundaries. While continuing my research on contemporary Arabic literature, particularly in the area of prison literature, I aim to broaden my focus to include heritage studies and environmental humanities from a decolonial perspective. Building on my expertise in Syrian prison literature and previous research, I will explore the politics of heritage-making, especially concerning sites of "difficult" or "negative" Syrian heritage, in close collaboration with Syrian colleagues.

The collaborative research project with the working title “Investigating Syrian Cultural Heritage: Positions and perspectives of various segments of Syrian society on the difficult heritage of Syria” (together with Dr. Housamedden Darwish and Dr. Huda Zein) aims to empirically investigate the perspectives, experiences, and attitudes of Syrians from diverse backgrounds regarding their cultural heritage. Drawing on frameworks from critical heritage studies, interdisciplinary memory politics, and critical discourses on reckoning with the past (e.g., South Africa, Germany, Morocco), our qualitative research focuses specifically on Syria’s difficult and negative heritage. This empirical study seeks to: (1) illuminate visions and interpretations of Syrian history and heritage, (2) highlight the plurality of perspectives on Syrian cultural heritage, and (3) explore how Syrians relate to and understand their difficult or negatively perceived heritage. A central focus of this research is the question of terminology: How can we define and label difficult or “dark” heritage sites and practices—those associated with histories of violence and atrocities—in Arabic? Which terms best capture and help us understand such heritage and the narratives surrounding it? Are terms like turāth (heritage), mawrūth (inheritance), ṣaʿb (difficult), muẓlim (dark), or salbī (negative) most appropriate? In addition to semi-structured and group interviews, informal conversations, and the analysis of reports and documents from local, national, and international organizations (e.g., Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums, UNESCO, human rights organizations), we will draw from Syrian prison literature and films about imprisonment in Syria. As the first empirical study of its kind, this project aims to generate evidence-based knowledge that can inform a more democratic, inclusive, and democracy-promoting cultural heritage policy. Aware of the political dimensions of heritage and heritage politics—particularly during times of crisis and transition—the project adopts a self-reflexive methodology and an actor-oriented research perspective. A key focus will be on the subjective meanings ascribed to difficult heritage, which will serve as the central area of investigation. Understanding this research as a collective endeavour that co-produces socially relevant knowledge, the project reflects on the potential and challenges of heritage-making, as well as its philosophical, ethical, and linguistic implications in the Syrian context.

I plan to write a comparative essay on two ‘island stories’—Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān (12th-century Andalusian philosopher Ibn Ṭufail) and Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (1719). Many scholars, including Leo Strauss, have suggested a possible influence of Ibn Ṭufail’s work on Defoe’s, or have linked the two narratives in various ways (for instance, through their shared religiosity). However, to my knowledge, no comprehensive study has critically compared both texts as distinct philosophical explorations of ‘being-in-the-world’ from in a decolonial reading. This project builds on a seminar I taught with Joachim Harst in comparative literature, where we juxtaposed pre-modern and modern texts, asking how we might approach and compare literature from different epochs. My central argument will focus on the concept of fiṭra (human nature) and how this concept underpins each narrative’s ideal of ethical behavior. Although the two stories differ in significant ways, reading them together offers valuable insights into human existence, particularly in a world facing environmental and existential crises.

Finally, building on my critique of Jeffrey Alexander’s theory of “cultural trauma” as well as theories of justice, memory, and genocide studies, I plan to establish a network of scholars from disciplines such as sociology, Islamic and Arabic studies, anthropology, philosophy, and international law. Together, we would undertake a long-term project to develop an analytical framework for studying political struggles over the recognition of past crimes against humanity. This initiative is still in its early stages and will require thorough preparation and conceptualization. This work is closely linked to my involvement in an UoC emerging research group focused on “undoing race.”