Bassam frangieh
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Bassam Frangieh in the classroom, ca. 2004 |
Bassam Frangieh (Arabic:
بسام فرنجيه) is a scholar of contemporary
Arabic literature and culture. He is best known for his pedagogical innovations in the study of the
Arabic language, as well as his translations of modern Arabic poets and novelists. A language professor as well as a scholar and writer, Frangieh has achieved moderate fame in the American academic world of
Middle Eastern Studies for his engaging, eclectic and sometimes dramatic educational methods.
Little is known about Frangieh's childhood, but it seems certain that he was born in
Palestine around the year
1950. His family is distantly related to the famous
Frangieh family of
Lebanon, including former Lebanese president
Suleiman Frangieh, but the Palestinian Frangieh
family tree diverged from the Lebanese family tree several generations ago. Frangieh eventually moved to
Syria to attend university, earning a B.A. from
Damascus University in
1976. While in Syria, he earned fame as a
boxing champion and professional
soccer player. Frangieh attended graduate school in the
United States, and received a Ph.D. in Arabic literature from
Georgetown University in
1987.
While in the U.S. studying for his doctorate, Frangieh published articles that earned him a spot on the Syrian
blacklist, and has never returned to the country since. After receiving his doctorate, Frangieh taught
Arabic at Georgetown for several years before accepting a lector position at
Yale University, where he currently teaches.
Frangieh is famous for his flamboyant teaching style and for actively socializing with his students outside of class. His motivational techniques include playful threats to throw his students out the window. He has been known to refer to himself alternatively as "the Bible" or "the Prophet" of the Arabic language. Frangieh has a well-known aversion to students' nervous habits, especially the repeated clicking of ball-point pens, and often bellows without warning at offenders. Among his advice for confused students is to visit the fictional website "holyspirit.com.help," or to stuff study guides into turkeys before sitting down for the
Thanksgiving feast. Frangieh urges all his students to continue their study in the
Middle East, and often assures them that if they are kidnapped, they will be immediately released upon mentioning his name.
In
2005, Frangieh inspired a ruckus at Yale by announcing a move to the
University of Delaware to protest Yale's refusal to consider him for a tenure-track position. University officials defended their actions, saying that university policy dictated that language teachers not receive tenure, due to the differences in research requirements. Scores of supportive alumni and students denounced the university's decision to let Frangieh go, and a compromise was eventually reached. The University of Delaware subsequently threatened to take Frangieh to court.
Due to his lack of hesitation in making controversial statements in and out of class, references to Frangieh are sprinkled liberally throughout the
Campus Watch web site, a fact Frangieh is known to repeat with pride.
Dr. Frangieh has pubished prolifically in both Arabic and English on contemporary Arabic literature. This is a list of some of his most prominent books and articles.
Translations:
The Crane (forthcoming), from
Ṭā'ir al-Ḥawm by Halīm Barakāt
Sun On A Cloudy Day (1997), from
al-Shams fī Yawm Ghā'im by Ḥanna Mīna
Arabian Love Poems (1993), selected poems by
Nizār QabbānīScholarly works:
al-Ightirāb fī al-Riwāyah al-Filisṭīnīyah (forthcoming)
Bahjat al-Iktishāf (2003)
Anthology of Arabic Literature, Culture and Thought (2004)
Articles:
Qassim Haddad: Irregular Rhythms of Life in
KalimatModern Arabic Poetry: Vision and Reality in
Traditions, Modernity and Postmodernity in Arabic LiteratureThe Concept of Return in Issa Boullat's novel: Returning to Jerusalem in
Dirāsāt `ArabīyahMahmoud Belaid: Ru'yah Tastashref Al Mustaqbal in
Journal of the Arab Tunisian Union Writers*
Official Frangieh Biography (Yale University)*
Amazon reviews*
Campus Watch articles on Frangieh
