Reading Group: Reading the City – Home and Belonging in the Gulf

The Jameel Library Reading Groups return with a new series that considers urban life across the globe. Over the course of four sessions, participants will engage with short texts that spotlight different cities, following thematic threads and examining contemporary literature reflecting urban spaces. The series will be conducted in English and led by Tamreez Inam, writer, literary consultant, curator, and former Assistant Festival Director and Head of Programming at the Emirates Literature Foundation.

This session explores themes of immigration, displacement, and the complexities of belonging in Gulf cities. Participants will delve into the lives of migrant workers, expats and residents in narratives, essays and poetry that reflect the lived experiences of diverse urban communities. Reading material includes texts by Danabelle Gutierrez, Hiten Samtani and Mia Alvar.

Reading groups are free and open to all; registration is required, though, as space is limited. Registered participants are expected to commit to all the sessions and reading material, attend the session they have registered for, and contribute to a respectful and open discursive environment.