Arabilious: Anthology of Arab Futurism
Jordan

Arabilious: Anthology of Arab Futurism

by Fadi Zaghmout

Society & Class Science Fiction Short Stories 2024

Summary

Arabilious: Anthology of Arab Futurism brings together nine science-fiction stories imagining alternative futures shaped by the cultures, histories, and social realities of the Arab world. Featuring writers from Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, the collection challenges the dominance of Western perspectives in speculative fiction and presents visions of the future rooted in Arab experiences.

The stories explore the consequences of emerging technologies, environmental crises, political conflict, and social inequality. Rather than imagining progress as a simple escape from the past, the contributors examine how traditions, collective identities, and historical memories continue to shape societies undergoing rapid change. The anthology includes Fadi Zaghmout’s A Jaha in the Metaverse, which reimagines the traditional Jordanian marriage-custom ceremony within a virtual world, using satire to question the persistence of patriarchal practices in an increasingly technological society.

Together, these stories expand the possibilities of Arab science fiction, offering imaginative alternatives to the present while questioning who gets to envision the future. The collection combines speculative experimentation with cultural specificity, social criticism, and reflections on the legacy of colonialism.

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Country
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Asia
About the author
Fadi Zaghmout
Fadi Zaghmout

Fadi Zaghmout is a Jordanian novelist, blogger, and advocate for gender equality, sexual freedom, and body rights. Born in Amman in 1978, he grew up observing the social expectations and taboos that shape personal relationships in Jordanian society. He initially gained recognition through his English-language blog, launched in 2006, which explored individual freedom, gender, and sexuality—subjects rarely discussed openly in mainstream Jordanian media. Zaghmout made his literary debut with The Bride of Amman (2012), a bestselling and controversial novel that examines the lives of four women and one gay man confronting social restrictions in contemporary Amman. The book was translated into English by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp and published in 2015. His other works include Heaven on Earth, Laila, and The Man of Middling Height, which uses an imagined society divided by height to explore discrimination and social inequality. Zaghmout holds a master’s degree in Creative Writing and Critical Thinking from the University of Sussex. His fiction challenges conventional assumptions about gender, sexuality, identity, and belonging, contributing to broader conversations about individual rights and social change in the Arab world. In 2024, he received a Study UK Alumni Award in recognition of his social impact in the United Arab Emirates.

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Published
2024
Author
Fadi Zaghmout