American University in Cairo
New Cairo Campus
Alwaleed Hall - Room PO71
Mon 9, 1pm– 2pm: “Estrangement in Arabic Poetry: Past and Present”
join us for a talk with Research Professor of Arabic at Harvard University William Granara as he explores estrangement in Arabic poetry through a comparative reading of Mahmoud Darwish and Ibn Hamdis. The discussion traces shared themes of exile, betrayal and the loss of homeland across medieval and modern contexts.
The Sullivan Lounge
Sun 8, 5pm - 6:30pm: “Invisible Realms, Beings That Shimmer: Lively Mutualities of Mystical and Multispecies Worlds on the Swahili Coast”
talk by anthropologist Nathalie Arnold invites us to rethink the boundaries between the visible and invisible worlds that shape life along the Swahili Coast.
Wed 11, 1pm- 2pm: Join an exciting lecture with Professor James Spellman, where he delves into an exploration of the behavioral dynamics of financial markets and the dangers of political messaging when behavioral economics is misunderstood, using examples from the United States. Spellman, principal of Strategic Communications LLC, Public Affairs at Washington, D.C.
Mary Cross Lecture Hall
Wed 11, 5pm – 6.30pm: “Digital Abuse and Gender-Based Violence in Egypt: Impacts of the Digital Manosphere in Social Media, Video Games and Legal Lawsuits” a compelling panel discussion exploring the intersection of the digital manosphere, social media and video games. This event examines the critical impacts of digital abuse and gender-based violence (GBV) on women’s safety and health, while analyzing the evolving legal landscape in Egypt. Speakers: a representative from the Speak Up platform will define the manosphere and discuss the impact of digital abuse, artificial intelligence and GBV on women’s safety and mental and physical health, Mohamed El-Gayar: Adjunct faculty, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Centre for American Studies and Research (CASAR) and the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP), Counselor Mohamed Samir: spokesperson for the Administrative Prosecution Authority, Ministry of Justice, Egypt. Moderator Yasmeen El-Ghazaly: Adjunct faculty, CASAR and the School of GAPP.
Consoleya
5 El Fadl St, Bab El Louq, Downtown, Cairo
Sat 7, 7pm: “What is Narrative? Part 11: On the Attempt to Remember and the Transformation of Memory” discussion with Mohamed Mahdi,
moderated by Farida Youssef. What is Narrative? is a series presented by Diwan Bookstore.
Italian Archeological Centre
14 Champollion Street, Tahrir Square, Downtown, Cairo, Tel 02 2735 5423/2735 8791
Tues 10, 6pm (Free admission, lecture is in English): “The Sound of the Heart: Alberto Ventura and Sufi Studies in Italy” lecture is on Alberto Ventura (1953–2022), who for a long time held the Chair of Islamic studies at the University of Naples "L'Orientale," and was a scholar particularly attentive to the esoteric and metaphysical dimensions of Islam. He was an authentic pioneer in exploring themes seldom discussed within national and international academic circles. The work of Ventura provided a fundamental contribution to the dissemination of Islamic studies and Sufi thought—understood as both method and teaching—through the analysis and comparison of specific case studies, opening the way for a deeper mutual understanding between different cultures and traditions.
Ventura's contribution to Sufism research and the current perspectives of Sufi studies in Italy are at the heart of the reflections offered by Francesco Alfonso Leccese, Associate Professor of History of Islamic Countries at the University of Calabria. Speakers: Prof. Francesco Alfonso Leccese (University of Calabria), and Prof. Giuseppe Cecere (University of Bologna – Coordinator of Italian Archaeological Centre, CAI-IIC).
* A version of this article appears in print in the 5 February, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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