São Paulo – A new book released by the Rio de Janeiro-based publishing house Almádena, features articles by some of the leading Brazilian and Portuguese Arab culture scholars. The work is entitled Arabismo: um tema e suas representações no Brasil e em Portugal (Arabism: a theme and its representations in Brazil and in Portugal) and assembles the thinking and experiences of intellectuals who attended the 1st Symposium of Portuguese-Brazilian Arabists, held at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Ufrj) in 2009.
Almádena, a publishing house specializing in Arab themes, issued the book, its latest release, late last year. Article authors include Mamede Mustafa Jarouche of the University of São Paulo (USP), who approaches the translation of the "Book of One Thousand and One Nights," professor Paula da Costa Caffaro, who recounts her experience teaching Portuguese in Damascus, Syria, and Arlene Clemesha, a professor at the USP who deals with the representations of contemporary Arab history.
Also, Godofredo de Oliveira Neto, chairman of the Committee for Portuguese Language at the Brazilian Ministry of Education, writes on the Committee and on Portuguese language in Arab countries, and Adriano Jordão, director of Instituto Camões, approaches the teaching of Portuguese language and culture in Arab countries. According to João Baptista M. Vargens, the organizer of the book alongside Paula da Costa Caffaro and owner of Almádena, the work is divided between the fields of Teaching, Translation, History, Philosophy and Thought.
The articles were written both by lecturers and members of roundtables, based on the debates at the symposium in Rio. The event is jointly promoted by the Arab Language sectors at Ufrj and USP, and should be held biennially. The next edition is scheduled for the second half this year, in São Paulo, according to Vargens. The 2013 edition should take place in Lisbon, Portugal. The book by Almádena has 200 pages and may be purchased on the publishing house’s website.
Service:
Book: Arabismo: um tema e suas representações no Brasil e em Portugal
Coordination: João Baptista M. Vargens and Paula da Costa Caffaro
Publisher: Almádena
Pages: 200
Price: 22 Brazilian reals (US$ 13)
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
