The terrible beauty of literary study

الملخص EN

This paper aims at shedding light on the inadequacy of English literary studies at Arab universities.

The equation under study involves both the object (i.e.

the aims) and the subject (i.e.

the instructor / investigator) in foreign literary and cultural studies programs.

The study argues that the aim of Arab scholars should be cultural critique, rather than cultural transmission or 'critical learning' as opposed to 'delicate learning'.

This entails the interrogation of western texts since these texts make many assumptions and draw conclusions that have the effect of maintaining an oppressive status quo.

The unnatural and ideologically-motivated separation of literature from the world, culture and history can have a devastating result upon the post-colonial subject.

It is concluded that 'critical learning' allows for a much needed reversal in thinking, especially at a time when our region is experiencing a cultural, economic and military invasion, whether under the guise of neo-colonial globalization or old-fashioned colonial occupation.