Hauntologies by Elia Ayoub
The Fire These Times
97/ Why I Stopped Writing About Syria w/ Asser Khattab
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97/ Why I Stopped Writing About Syria w/ Asser Khattab

This is a conversation with Asser Khattab, a Syrian writer who has reported on Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq for various international news outlets. We spoke about his essay for New Lines Magazine, "why I stopped writing about Syria."

Support: Patreon.com/firethesetimes
Website: http://TheFireThisTi.Me
Substack: https://thefirethesetimes.substack.com
Twitter + Instagram @ firethesetimes

Topics Discussed:

  • How Asser started writing about Syria

  • Pigeonholing as Arab journalists

  • Why Asser stopped writing about Syria

  • Us leaving Lebanon at the same time

  • Picturing safe spaces

  • What is 'normal'?

  • The role of Twitter in journalism

  • The dangers of living in Lebanon as an undocumented Syrian

  • Survivor's guilt and imposter's syndrome

Resources Mentioned:

Recommended Books:

  • Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero by James Romm

  • Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

  • The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe

  • God: An Anatomy by Francesca Stavrakopoulou

Discussion about this podcast