Ariel M. Sheetrit
P.O. Box 52 Shoham ISRAEL 60850
(03)970-2642; (054) 224-0128
amsheetrit@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Ph.D.
1999-2007, direct track, Harvard University, Department of Near Eastern
Literature and Civilizations
Advisors: William Granara, Wolfhart Heinrichs, Sasson Somekh
Title: “Writing the Family in Modern Arabic Autobiographical Texts.”
B.A.
1994-1998, University of Pennsylvania, Department of Asian and Middle
Eastern Studies, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Post-Doctorate 2009-2011, Kreitman Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Department of Middle
East Studies, Ben Gurion University
TEACHING EMPLOYMENT
2004-
Ben-Gurion University, Dept. of Middle East Studies. Lecturer.
2011-
Open University (Israel), Dept. of Literature, Language and Arts.
Lecturer and Thesis Supervisor
2013-2014
Achva College (Israel), Depts. of Middle East Studies and Linguistics,
Lecturer.
2001-2003
Harvard, Dept. of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Teaching
Fellow.
FELLOWSHIP AWARDS
2009-2011
Kreitman Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Ben-Gurion University
2006-2007
Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow (FLAS)
Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard
2004-5
Lady Davis Doctoral Fellowship
Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Hebrew University
2002
Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA), American University in Cairo.
Prestigious American government-funded fellowship for study of Arabic,
completed highest level.
2000
Center for Jewish Studies, Harvard University. Summer research
fellowship.
1997
University Scholar, University of Pennsylvania. Honors program for the
top 1% of undergraduates to fund students who are focused in their
research. Funded participation in archaeological excavations.
1995
Dorot Foundation Traveling Grant. Funded Summer Program, Hebrew
University.
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HONORS AND AWARDS
2006-2007
Hebrew University, Visiting Scholar
2003-2004
Hebrew University, Visiting Scholar
1998
Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. University of Pennsylvania.
1998
Bnai Zion and Brith Abraham Award for Excellence in Hebrew. University
of Pennsylvania, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Department.
Departmental award for one graduating student in the department.
1997-1998
Dean’s List. University of Pennsylvania.
1996-1997
Dean’s List. University of Pennsylvania.
1996
The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Academic Achievement Award.
Merit grant towards study at Hebrew University.
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
AUTHORED BOOK
1.
Sheetrit, Ariel (in progress)
The Relational Poetics of Modern Arabic Life Writing
Wiesbaden: Harrasowitz. Studies in Arabic Language and Literature Series.
Publication contract for monograph manuscript
REFEREED ARTICLES
1.
Sheetrit, Ariel (forthcoming, 2015)
"Social Alienation and Estrangement in Four Stories by Palestinian Writer ʿAlā'
Ḥlayḥal." Journal of Middle Eastern Studies.
2.
Sheetrit, Ariel (forthcoming, 2015)
Narrative Strategies of Self-Definition and Voice in Layla Abouzeid's Return to
Childhood." Journal of Middle East Women's Studies 11:2.
3.
Sheetrit, Ariel (2014)
"The Geography of Identity in ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Munīf's Sīrat Madīna: ʿAmmān fī
al-Arbaʿīnāt ." Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 14, pp. 27-45.
4.
Sheetrit, Ariel (2013)
"Deterritorialization of Belonging: Between Home and the Unhomely in Miral alTahawy's Brooklyn Heights and Salman Natur's She, the Autumn, and Me,"
Journal of Levantine Studies 3:2, pp. 71-98.
5.
Sheetrit, Ariel (2013)
"Beginning Again: The Boundaries of Self-Invention in Shimon Ballas's Be-Guf
Rishon," a/b: Autobiography Studies 28:1, pp. 2-35.
6.
Sheetrit, Ariel (2012)
"The Poetics of the Poet's Autobiography: Voicings and Mutings in Fadwā Ṭūqān's
Narrative Journey," Journal of Arabic Literature 43, pp. 102-131.
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7.
Sheetrit, Ariel (2011)
"Two Lives Enmeshed: Disentangling Genre and Identity in Ḥanān al-Shaykh's
Ḥikāyatī Sharḥun Yaṭūl (My Life: An Intricate Tale)," Contemporary Women's
Writing 5:2 (Oxford: Oxford UP), pp. 1-18.
8.
Sheetrit, Ariel (2010)
"Call Me Dov/Khaldūn/Ze'ev/Badīr: Issues of Language and Speech in Two
Recent Israeli Re-workings of Ghassān Kanafānī's Returning to Haifa," Journal of
Middle Eastern Literatures 13:1, pp. 91-116.
9.
Sheetrit, Ariel (2007)
“For Water Alone: A Comparative Analysis of Tawfīq Abu Wā’il’s Film ‘Aṭash
and Muḥammad Shukrī’s Autobiographical Novels al-Khubz al-ḥāfī and alShuṭṭār,” Arab Studies Quarterly 29, pp. 17-36.
CHAPTERS IN REFEREED COLLECTIVE VOLUMES
1.
Sheetrit, Ariel (forthcoming, 2015)
"Free Choice within Realms of Oppression and Exploitation in Zaynab Hifni's 'The
Nightingales Will Surely Sing'." In Dorit Gottesfeld (ed.), Moving within Spheres:
On the Female Voice in Recent Arabic Women's Literature, Van Leer Institute
Press. (Hebrew)
UNREFEREED PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS
ARTICLES
1.
Sheetrit, Ariel (2013)
"Politics, Identity Politics and Struggle in the Literary Works of Alaa' Hlehel."
Muhammad Amara (ed.), Kitab Dirasat 6 (Nazareth: Dirasat, the Arab Center on
Law and Policy), pp. 66-76. (Arabic)
Republished in Qadita.Net Magazine of Literature and Culture (2013):
http://www.qadita.net/2014/04/04/ala-politics/
BOOK REVIEWS
1.
Ariel Sheetrit (2008)
"Review Essay: Arab Women Writers: An Anthology of Short Stories (Dalya
Cohen-Mor) and Let Me Tell You Where I've Been: New Writing By Women of the
Iranian Diaspora (Persis M. Karim)," MESA Bulletin 42, 124-127.
2.
Ariel Sheetrit (neé Blumenthal) (2002)
"Review of Israeli and Palestinian Identities in History and Literature (David C.
Jacobson and Kamal Abdel-Malek, eds.),"Arab Studies Journal 10:2.
3.
Ariel Sheetrit (neé Blumenthal) (2002)
"Review of A Matter of Fate: The Concept of Fate in the Arab World as Reflected
in Modern Arabic Literature (by Dalya Cohen-Mor)," Arab Studies Journal 10:1.
ENCYCLOPEDIA ENTRIES
Ariel Sheetrit (2014)
Lexicon of Israeli Writers, Yigal Schwartz and Zisi Stavi (eds.), Merkaz Heksherim and
Kinneret Zamora-Bitan. (Hebrew)
"Taha Muhammad Ali"; "Raji Bathish"; "Zaki Darwish"; "Mahmud Darwish"; "Siham
Daoud"; "Tawfiq Fayyad"; "Imil Habibi"; "Alaa Hlehel"; "Rashid Husayn"; "Hanna
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Ibrahim"; "Nidaa Khuri"; "Marwan Makhoul"; "Salman Natur"; "Sasson Somekh,"
"Muhammad Ali Taha"; and "Tawfiq Zayyad."
COURSES TAUGHT
Arabic Language, BA Course, Dept. of Middle Eastern Studies and Linguistics Dept,
Achva College.
The Palestinian Experience in Literature, BA Course, Dept. of Middle East Studies,
Ben-Gurion University.
Palestinian Film, BA course, Dept. of Literature, Language and Arts, The Open
University (Israel).
Israeli Film at the Turn of the Millenium, BA course, Dept. of Literature, Language and
Arts, The Open University (Israel).
Readings in Modern Arabic Autobiographical Texts, BA Course, Dept. of Middle East
Studies, Ben-Gurion University.
East and West in Modern Arabic Literature and Thought, BA course, Dept. of Middle
East Studies, Ben-Gurion University.
Modern Arabic Literature in Translation, MA course (international program), Dept. of
Middle East Studies, Ben-Gurion University.
Second Year Arabic, BA course, Overseas Student Program, Ben-Gurion University.
First Year Arabic, MA course (international program), Dept. of Middle East Studies,
Ben-Gurion University.
Second-Year Arabic, BA course, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard
First-Year Arabic, BA course, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard
Modern Arabic Narratives: Self, Society, and Culture, BA course, Near Eastern
Languages and Civilizations, Harvard (TF)
The Bible and its Interpreters, BA course, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations,
Harvard (TF)
The Modern Jewish Experience in Literature, BA course, Near Eastern Languages and
Civilizations, Harvard (TF)
RESEARCH POSITIONS
2003-2007
InterDisciplinary Center (Herzliya), Research Assistant and Translator for
Dr. Barry Rubin, GLORIA Institute.
2003-2005
PRISM Institute: Project for the Research of Islamist Movements, Research
Assistant and Translator for Dr. Reuven Paz
2000-2002
Harvard, Dept. of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Research
Assistant for Prof. William Graham.
1996-1997
Hebrew University, Institute of Archeology, Intern for Prof. Amichai
Mazar.
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POSITIONS IN ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION
2014-2015 Organizing premier screening of Suha Araf's film "Villa Toma" and
accompanying lecture program, the Open University
2014-2015 Collating new course in Arab film, Open University of Israel
2014 Organizing research group on "Journey and Migration in Modern Arabic Literature,"
the Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem.
2012-2014 Editorial Board, Lexicon of Israeli Writers (Zisi Stavi and Yigal Schwartz,
eds.) Heksherim Center and Kinneret Zamora-Bitan, Heksherim Center, BenGurion University
2012 Organized premier screening of Tawfiq Abu Wail's film "Disintegration" an
accompanying lecture program: "Recent Palestinian Film," Tel Aviv Cinematèque,
with the Open University
2010 Organized International Conference:: "Literature and History: Middle
Eastern Perspectives" (jointly with Dr. Yair Huri), Ben-Gurion University
2000-2001 Harvard Middle Eastern and Islamic Journal, 6. Copy editor.
MA THESIS GUIDANCE
In progress
Raji Bathish, Open University of Israel
Shmuel Dotan, Ben Gurion University
Sa'd Abu Ghanem, Ben Gurion University
PRESENTATIONS OF PAPERS AT CONFERENCES/MEETINGS
1.
2014
"The Other in the Eyes of Others: Jewish Israelis in Recent Palestinian Literature."
Conference: Jews and Arabs in the Middle East: Social and Cultural History
Levtzion Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2.
2013
"The Missing Wedding: Tawfiq Abu Wail's Disintegration as a Milestone in
Palestinian Film"
The Annual Conference of Middle East Israeli Studies Association (MEISAI),
Tel Aviv University
3.
2013
"Diasporic Stances in Miral al-Tahawy's Brooklyn Heights and Salman Natur's
She, the Autumn, and Me"
International Workshop: Space, Time and Power in the Levant: The Making of
Diasporic Stances
Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem
4.
2012
"Struggle and Identity Politics in the Writings of Alaa Hlehel" (Arabic)
Conference: The Arabic Language in the Eye of the Storm
Van Leer and Dirasat Institutes, Jerusalem
5.
2012
"The Fragmented, the Broken and the Dissembled: An Analysis of the Writings of
Alaa Hlehel"
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The Annual Conference of Middle East Israeli Studies Association (MEISAI),
Bar Ilan University
6.
2011
"Self and the City: Space and Self in Abd al-Rahman Munif's Sirat Madina"
The Annual Conference of Middle East Israeli Studies Association (MEISAI),
Open University
7.
2010
“The Sounds of Silence: The Functions of Silence in Layla al-Uthman's Samt alFarashaat”
The Annual Conference of Middle East Israeli Studies Association (MEISAI), BenGurion University
8.
2010
"Genre, Identity and Illiteracy in Hanan al-Shayh's Ḥikāyatī Sharḥun Yaṭūl"
International Workshop: "Literature and History: Middle Eastern Perspectives,"
Ben-Gurion University
9.
2009
"Arabic Autobiography: The Case of Hanan al-Shaykh"
The Annual Conference of the Middle East Israeli Studies Association (MEISAI)
Hebrew University
10.
2004
“Beginnings in Arabic Autobiography”
The 38th Annual Meeting of the Middle East Studies Association of North
America, San Francisco
INVITED PLENARY LECTURES AT CONFERENCES/MEETINGS
1.
2013
"Voice, Power and Madness in Salman Natur's She, the Autumn, and Me"
Seminar: Salman Natur's She, the Autumn, and Me
Herzog Institute, Ben-Gurion University
2.
2012
"Wedding which Were and Weddings Which Weren't in Palestinian Film"
Lecture Program: Recent Palestinian Film, Tel Aviv Cinematèque and the Open
University
3.
2012
"Secularizing Trends in Palestinian Literature"
International Workshop: Secularism in Contemporary Arab Thought, Van Leer
Institute, Jerusalem
4.
2011
“Mountainous Journey, Relational Journey: Self and Other in Arab Women's
Autobiography”
Conference: Middle East Studies Department Fiftieth Anniversary,
Bar Ilan University.
5.
2011
“From the Banal to the Sublime in the Short Stories of 'Alaa Hlehel”
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Conference: Trends in Palestinian Literature from the Nakba to the Intifada, Van
Leer Institute, Jerusalem
6.
2011
"In the First-Person Voice on First Experiences: Beginnings and Boundaries in
Shimon Ballas' Autobiography."
Conference: Shimon Ballas: Writer, Researcher, Translator, Haifa University
7.
2011
“Diaspora, Hybrid Identity and Self-Invention in Shimon Ballas' Oeuvre”
Conference: Modern Arabic Literatures in Hebrew, Hebrew University
8.
2009
“Intertextuality in Muḥammad Shukrī’s For Bread Alone”
Guest lecturer: Kibbutzim College of Education, Tel Aviv
9.
2008
“Dialog between Cultures, Languages, and Eras in Pigeons in Trafalgar"
Conference: Sami Michael: Identity and Place in his Oeuvre, Ben-Gurion
University
10.
2006
“Writing the Family in Modern Arabic Autobiographical Texts”
Departmental Lecture: Middle East Studies department, Ben-Gurion University
11.
2005
“Forces of Change Portrayed through the Lens of Family in Modern Arabic
Autobiography”
Lecture Series: “Women and Gender in the Middle East”
The Truman Institute, Hebrew University
12.
2000
"Winnowing Sacred Veils: Islamic Hermeneutics in Comparative Perspective"
The annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Nashville, TN.
ONGOING RESEARCH WORKSHOPS
Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem. "Journey and Migration in Modern Arabic Literature."
2015. Leader and Organizer.
Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem. "Arabic in Israel." 2013-2014. Participant.
Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem. "Arab Feminism." 2011-2012. Participant.
Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem. "Arab Women Writers." 2010-2011. Participant.
LANGUAGE SKILLS
English, mother tongue; fluent in Hebrew, Modern Standard Arabic and Palestinian
Arabic; proficient in French and German. Knowledge of Italian, Spanish, Turkish and
Aramaic.
ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS
2009 Teaching Certificate in Hebrew Literature for grades 7-12
Kibbutzim College of Education, Tel Aviv
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