Amin Maalouf is a writer who knows a lot about conflicts of identities. Amin was born in Lebanon, part of the Melkite Greek Catholic community , grow up in Egypt , and now lives in Paris for 36 years. Because this mixsure, people often ask him if he feels more french or more lebanese, and how is he feel about that question, is the summary of one of his books:
For a long time that nagging question makes me smile. Not anymore, because I think that reveals awidespread view that I believe is dangerous. Maalouf(1998:10)
In ”In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong“ the author discusses the importance that is given to identity in our society, the problems that this created, the identity crisis arab in general, and how this often
leads to violence, senseless violence. Amin explains that identity is not divided in differents compartments, there is a single identity formed by a lot of elements that is unique in each person. The reality of the killing is distorted, when they kill, they are convinced that is a need to preserve the life of their own. And when a killing happens, some say it has always been like that. But ideas are outstanding euthroughout history need not remain so in the following generations.
Amin won Prince Prize for Literature 2010, the speech was a summary of his thought, something that worth read….
..or listen.
References:
- MAALOUF, A. In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong. 1998. Alianza Editorial. Madrid. Retrieved: July 6, 2011
- “Discurso Amin Maalouf” by Amin Maalouf. Retrieved: July 6, 2011. http://www.premiosprincipe.com/content/view/484/203/
- “Amin Maalouf” by Wikipedia. Retrieved: July 6, 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amin_Maalouf
Filed under: Multiculturality Tagged: Amin Maalouf, Multicultural Studies 
