About some of what the Falcon saw

Magical animals and instances of zoomorphism permeate Arabic folktales and literature. Palestinian folktales tell us of witches who transform men into birds, women who turn into ogresses at night, and evil humans who develop animal parts. In Hussein al-Barghouthi’s The Blue Light, the narrator grapples with the animal within him and tells us a great deal 'About Some of What the Falcon Saw'. In these study sessions, we will engage in a collective reading of folktales and novels as well as prompt writing to trace the emergence and movements of magical, folkloric, theological, and made-up animals. The sessions will invite thinking about human-animal enmeshment within the space of fiction and in the real world. Participants are expected to engage in the discussion and the writing components of the sessions.

These sessions are part of Sanabel Abdel Rahman’s research on Palestinian magical realism and speculative fiction. The discussions that emerge from these sessions will be used towards a paper she is currently developing on the topic. By attending these sessions participants agree to the incorporating of the findings of the sessions in the paper. Anonymous participation is possible.