Hisham Sharabi
Encyclopedia
Hisham Sharabi was Professor
Emeritus of History
and Umar al-Mukhtar Chair of Arab Culture at Georgetown University
, where he was a specialist in European intellectual history and social thought. He died of cancer at the American University of Beirut
hospital
on January 13, 2005.
before attending American University in Beirut, where he graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy
. He then traveled to study at the University of Chicago
, where he completed an M.A. in Philosophy in 1949. Politically active from a young age, Sharabi then returned to serve as editor of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party
’s monthly magazine “al-Jil al-Jadid” (The New Generation). Forced to flee to Jordan
after the parties disbanding in 1949, Sharabi returned to the United States
where he completed a Ph.D. in the history of culture, again at the University at Chicago. That same year, he began to teach at Georgetown University, where he gained full professorship in eleven years.
Chairman Yasser Arafat
ordered the arrests of 11 Palestinian academics who had accused his administration of 'tyranny and corruption,' Dr. Sharabi, along with Edward Said
of Columbia University
, signed a letter calling the arrests 'a totally unjustifiable attack on the freedom of expression
.'" Nine of the lawmakers were immune from arrest, but two later accused the Palestinian police of attacking them.[5]
culture, establishing in 1973, along with several other colleagues, the Georgetown Center for Contemporary Arab Studies. In 1977, Georgetown University “awarded Dr. Sharabi the Umar Al-Mukhtar Chair in Arab Culture in recognition of his distinguished intellectual contributions and his efforts to promote Arab studies.[2]” Dr. Sharabi formed, later that same year, the Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development
, an organization that worked on educational, cultural and health issues of Palestinians. He served as Chairman of Board until his death in 2005. In 1991, he formed what is now known as the Palestine Center
, which serves as a think tank
educating the general public on Palestinian Political Issues.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Emeritus of History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and Umar al-Mukhtar Chair of Arab Culture at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, where he was a specialist in European intellectual history and social thought. He died of cancer at the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
on January 13, 2005.
Young Life
He spent his early years growing up in Jaffa, Palestine and Acre, PalestineAcre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
before attending American University in Beirut, where he graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. He then traveled to study at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, where he completed an M.A. in Philosophy in 1949. Politically active from a young age, Sharabi then returned to serve as editor of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party
Syrian Social Nationalist Party
The Syrian Social Nationalist Party , is a secular nationalist political party in Lebanon and Syria. It advocates the establishment of a Syrian nation state spanning the Fertile Crescent, including present day Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories, Israel, Cyprus, Kuwait,...
’s monthly magazine “al-Jil al-Jadid” (The New Generation). Forced to flee to Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
after the parties disbanding in 1949, Sharabi returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he completed a Ph.D. in the history of culture, again at the University at Chicago. That same year, he began to teach at Georgetown University, where he gained full professorship in eleven years.
Controversy
Dr. Sharabi, while an ardent supporter of Palestinian rights, was not beyond criticizing the Palestinian governing bodies. According to a story in the Washington Post[4]:"In 1999, after PLOPalestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
Chairman Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
ordered the arrests of 11 Palestinian academics who had accused his administration of 'tyranny and corruption,' Dr. Sharabi, along with Edward Said
Edward Said
Edward Wadie Saïd was a Palestinian-American literary theorist and advocate for Palestinian rights. He was University Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and a founding figure in postcolonialism...
of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, signed a letter calling the arrests 'a totally unjustifiable attack on the freedom of expression
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
.'" Nine of the lawmakers were immune from arrest, but two later accused the Palestinian police of attacking them.[5]
Legacy
He worked tirelessly to promote understanding of the ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
culture, establishing in 1973, along with several other colleagues, the Georgetown Center for Contemporary Arab Studies. In 1977, Georgetown University “awarded Dr. Sharabi the Umar Al-Mukhtar Chair in Arab Culture in recognition of his distinguished intellectual contributions and his efforts to promote Arab studies.[2]” Dr. Sharabi formed, later that same year, the Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development
The Jerusalem Fund
The Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development is a 501 non-profit organization based in Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C. that does educational and humanitarian work on behalf of Palestinians, particularly those living in the Occupied Territory and surrounding refugee camps...
, an organization that worked on educational, cultural and health issues of Palestinians. He served as Chairman of Board until his death in 2005. In 1991, he formed what is now known as the Palestine Center
Palestine Center
The Palestine Center is an independent think tank based in Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.. Their focus is on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other Middle East issues....
, which serves as a think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
educating the general public on Palestinian Political Issues.
Publications
Author of 18 books and numerous articles and editorials, he is well respected as a foremost 20th century Arab intellectual, contributing greatly to the study of Arabic culture[3]. Dr. Sharabi also published several books himself on Arabic culture and philosophy. "In honor of his work in both the European and Arab fields, the Department of history at Georgetown convened an international two-day symposium in 2002 titled ‘The Role of the Intellectual in Contemporary Political Life.’ Also named in his honor is the annual Hisham Sharabi graduate essay contest, begun by the Department's graduate students upon Dr. Sharabi's retirement in 1998[2]."- Theory, Politics, and the Arab World: Critical Responses
- Governments and Politics of the Middle East in the Twentieth Century
- The Next Arab Decade: Alternative Futures
- Nationalism and Revolution in the Arab World (the Middle East and North Africa)
- Palestine and Israel: The Lethal Dilemma
- Arab Intellectuals and the West
- Palestine Guerillas: Their Credibility and Effectiveness
- Embers and Ashes translated by Issa J. BoullataIssa J. BoullataIssa J. Boullata is a Palestinian scholar, writer, and translator of Arabic literature. He was born in Jerusalem on 25 February 1929 during the British Mandate of Palestine. He obtained a First Class BA in Arabic and Islamic studies in 1964 followed by a PhD in Arabic literature in 1969, both...
(2008) - Images of the Past: An Autobiography
- Neopatriarchy: A Theory of Distorted Change in Arab Society