Reading Palestine

Printing and Literacy, 1900-1948

By: Ami Ayalon

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Paperback | 1 December 2004

At a Glance

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224 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.9 x 15.2

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"Superb. . . . Ayalon's work is not a fresh look at an old topic, but is a successful innovative product portraying how and when Palestinians used and read printed texts and the pace with which those texts influenced multiple aspects of Arab society in Palestine. It is masterfully presented." -- Kenneth W. Stein, William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History and Israeli Studies, Emory University

Prior to the twentieth century, Arab society in Palestine was predominantly illiterate, with most social and political activities conducted through oral communication. There were no printing presses, no book or periodical production, and no written signs in public places. But a groundswell of change rapidly raised the region's literacy rates, a fascinating transformation explored for the first time in Reading Palestine.

Addressing an exciting aspect of Middle Eastern history as well as the power of the printed word itself, Reading Palestine describes how this hurried process intensified the role of literacy in every sphere of community life. Ami Ayalon examines Palestine's development of a modern educational system in conjunction with the emergence of a print industry, libraries and reading clubs, and the impact of print media on urban and rural populations. Drawn from extensive archival sources, official reports, autobiographies, and a rich trove of early Palestinian journalism, Reading Palestine provides crucial insight into the dynamic rise of literacy that revolutionized the way Palestinians navigated turbulent political waters.

Industry Reviews

"Superb... Ayalon's work is not a fresh look at an old topic, but is a successful innovative product portraying how and when Palestinians used and read printed texts and the pace with which those texts influenced multiple aspects of Arab society in Palestine. It is masterfully presented." Kenneth W. Stein, William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History and Israeli Studies, Emory University

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Preface
Introduction Palestine in the First Half of the Twentieth Century Recapturing Past Reading
Literacy and Education Education: Phases of Development
The Impact of Education: Profile of the "Literate" Community
Texts: Imported, Produced, Viewed
Traditional Stocks: The Augury of Change Impact of the Neighborhood Local Production Texts in the Public Domain
Texts Accessed and Afforded Conduits of Dissemination
Buying One's Own Book
Accessing without Buying: Libraries, Clubs, Reading Rooms
Accessing without Buying: Open Public Places
Individual Reading
Individual Reading: Past Legacy
Mutala\`ah in Twentieth-Century Palestine: The Comfort of Home Private Reading in Public
Collective Reading
The Old, Familiar Conduits Vocal Reading: Bridging across Illiteracy
Vocal Reading: The Extra Benefit of the Collective Experience
Conclusion
Notes
Sources
Index
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Reading Palestine

Printing and Literacy, 1900-1948

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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