Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Acknowledgments vii
4. Introduction 3
5. 1. “Culture Is Humanity’s Highest Need”
6. As If . . . 20
7. Slogans, Slogans Everywhere 26
8. Freedom and Democracy 30
9. 2. Our Literature Do es No t Leave the Co untry
10. Nadia al-Ghazzi 39
11. Colette al-Khuri 42
12. 3. No Such Thing as Women’s Literature
13. Ulfat Idilbi 49
14. Salons and Mallahat al-Khani 53
15. Nadia Khust and the Nadwa 57
16. 4. Commissioned Criticism
17. Culture after the Fall of the Wall 68
18. Commissioned Criticism 72
19. The Fantasy of Choice 77
20. 5. Dissident Performances
21. Performing Dissidence 84
22. The Ghoul 87
23. Historical Miniatures 92
24. 6. Filming Dreams
25. The Extras 102
26. Dreaming Features 106
27. Documenting Dreams 116
28. 7. Lighten Yo ur Step
29. Ibrahim Samuʾil 124
30. Waiting 127
31. Ghassan al-Jabaʿi 130
32. Lessons from a Rogue State 142
33. 8. Leaving Damascus 145
34. Postscript 160
35. Notes 167
36. Bibliography 177
37. Index 187