Starkey Library

Staff Profile

Professor Paul G. Starkey

Emeritus Professor in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures

Member in the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies

Member in the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies

(email at p.g.starkey@durham.ac.uk)

Research Interests

• Arabic literature
• Arabic/English translation
• Middle Eastern travellers to Europe and vice versa

Authored book

·Starkey, Paul G. (2016). Sonallah Ibrahim: Rebel with a Pen. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press

• Starkey, Paul G. (2006). Modern Arabic Literature. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1987). From the Ivory Tower: a critical study of Tawfīq al-Hakīm . London: Ithaca Press/Garnet Publishing.

Edited book

• Starkey, Paul G. & Janet Starkey (2020). Pious Pilgrims, Discerning Travellers, Curious Tourists. Oxford: Archaeopress.
• Starkey, Paul G., Lorenzo Casini & Daniela Melfa (2019). Minnena: L'Egitto, l'Europa e la ricerca dopo l'assassinio di Giulio Regeni. Messina: Mesogea.
• Starkey, Paul G., Ines Aščerić-Todd, Sabina Knees & Janet Starkey (2018). Travellers in Ottoman Lands: the botanical legacy. Oxford: Archaeopress.
• Starkey, Paul G., Janet Starkey, &  Tony J. Wilkinson.(2016). Natural resources and cultural connections of the Red Sea. Oxford, UK : Archaeopress.
• Starkey, Paul G., Deheuvels, Luc & Michalak-Pikulska, Barbara (2006).  Intertextuality in modern Arabic literature since 1967. Durham Modern Languages Series 2. Durham: MLAC; repr. Manchester University Press, 2010.
• Starkey, Paul G. & El Kholy, Nadia (2002). Egypt Through the Eyes of Travellers. Cambridge: Astene
• Starkey, Paul G. & Starkey, Janet (2001). Interpreting the Orient: Travellers in Egypt and the Near East: v. 2. Durham Middle East Monographs Series. Ithaca Press.
• Starkey, Paul G. & Starkey, Janet (2001). Unfolding the Orient: Travellers in Egypt and the Near East. Durham Middle East Monographs Series. Ithaca Press.
• Starkey, Paul G & Julie Scott Meisami (1998; 2010). Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature (Two Volumes). London: Routledge,
• Starkey, Paul G. & Starkey, Janet (1998; 2001). Travellers in Egypt. I B Tauris

Edited journal

• Starkey, Paul G., Boutros Hallaq. & Stefan Wild (2006). Special Issue: Identities Remembered, Discovered, Invented: hero and character in modern Arabic literature. Middle Eastern Literatures, 9 (2)

Chapter in book

• Starkey, Paul G. (2021, forthcoming). ‘Arabic Literary Translingualism’. In The Routledge Handbook of Literary Translingualism. Kellman, S. & Lvovich N. London: Routledge. 599–625.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2021, forthcoming). ‘Lifting the Lid on a Culture that’s Hid’: Kashf al-Mukhabbaʾ in Literary and Historical Context. In . A Life in Praise of Words: Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq and the Nineteenth Century. B.Winckler. Wiesbaden: Reichert.   
• Starkey, Paul G. (2020).   ‘Ibn Jubayr’s Riḥla reconsidered.’ In Starkey, P. & Starkey, J. (2020). Pious Pilgrims, Discerning Travellers, Curious Tourists. Oxford: Archaeopress. 34–54.
• Starkey, Paul G. & Janet Starkey (2020). 'Meet at Rustam Pasha'. In Tales from the life of Bruce Wannell: Adventurer, Linguist, Orientalist. Rogerson, B. London: Eland. 160–163.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2019).   ‘Resurrecting the caliphate: Youssef Rakha and the collapse of the Ottoman state.’ In Arabic literature in a posthuman world.  Guth, S, Pepe, T. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. 53–60.

• Starkey, Paul G. (2018). ‘The cedars of Lebanon in literature and art.’ In Starkey, P,, Aščerić-Todd, I.,  Knees, S. and Starkey J. Travellers in Ottoman Lands: the botanical legacy. Oxford: Archaeopress. 251–274.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2017). ‘Joun Encounter: Alexander William Kinglake meets Lady Hester Stanhope’. In Neil Cooke and Vanessa Daubney (eds), Lost and Now Found: Explorers, Diplomats and Artists in Egypt and the Near East, Oxford: Archaeopress. 273-282.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2015). ‘Strange Incidents from History: Youssef Rakha and his Sultan’s Seal’. In Studying Modern Arabic Literature: Essays in Honour of Mustafa Badawi. Allen, R. & Ostle, R. Edinburgh: EUP. 159–177.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2015). ‘Romances of History: Jurji Zaydan and the rise of the historical novel’. In The Long 1890s: Colonial Quiescence, Subterranean Resistance. Booth, M. & Gorman, A. Edinburgh: EUP. 342–364.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2010). ‘Mustafa Lutfi al-Manfaluti’, ‘Tawfiq Yusuf ‘Awwad’ and ‘Nasif al-Yaziji’. In Essays in Arabic Literary Biography 1850–1950. Roger Allen, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. 37–43, 200–206, 376–381.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2008).‘Voyages of Self-Definition: the case of [Ahmad] Fāris al-Shidyāq’. In Sensibilities of the Islamic Mediterranean. Ostle, R. London: I.B. Tauris. 118–132.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2006). Intertextuality and the Arabic literary tradition in Edwār al-Kharrāt’s Hijārat Bobello’. In Intertextuality in modern Arabic literature since 1967. Deheuvels, Luc., Michalak-Pikulska, Barbara & Starkey, Paul. Durham: Durham Modern Languages Series. 2. Durham: MLAC. 149–159.  New edition Manchester University Press, 2010.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2003). Crisis and Memory in Rashid al-Daif’s Dear Mr Kawabata: An Essay in Narrative Disorder. In Crisis and Memory: The Representation of Space in Modern Levantine Narrative. Seigneurie, K. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag. 115–130.
• ‘Starkey, Paul G. (2001). Islamic Egypt in the Modern Egyptian Novel. In The Historiography of Islamic Egypt (c.950–1800). Kennedy, Hugh. Leiden: Brill. 251–262.
•  Starkey, Paul G. (2001). Fact and Fiction in al-Sāq ‘alā al-Sāq. In Writing the Self: Autobiographical Writing in Modern Arabic Literature. De Moor, Ed, Ostle, Robin & Wild, Stefan. Saqi Books. 30–38.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2000). ‘The Egyptian Encounter with Europe in the Nineteenth Century.’ In Europe, its Borders and the Others. Napoli: ESI. 107–120.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2000). ‘Modern Arabic Literature (other)’. In Oxford Guide to Literature in English Translation. France, P. Oxford: O.U.P. 152–157.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1999). ‘Faris Al-Shidyaq and Britain’, in The Arabs and Britain: changes and exchanges: Proceedings of a conference held in Cairo 23–25 March 1998, Cairo: British Council. 393–401.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1998). Modern Egyptian Culture in the Arab World. In The Cambridge History of Egypt. II: Modern Egypt from 1517 to the End of the Twentieth Century. Daly, M. W. & Petry, Carl F. New York: Cambridge University Press. Volume 2; 394–426.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1998). ‘Some Egyptian travellers to Europe’. In Travellers to Egypt.  Starkey, P. & Starkey, J.  London, I.B. Tauris. 280–286.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1997). Tawfīq al-Hakīm. In African Writers, New York: Scribner’s. 291–302.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1995). ‘The four ages of Husayn Tawfīq: love and sexuality in the novels of Tawfīq al-Hakīm’.  In Love and Sexuality in Modern Arabic Literature.  Allen, R., Kilpatrick, H. & de Moor, E. London: Saqi..56–64.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1987). ‘Library Provision for Central Asian Studies in the University of Durham’. In Central Asia: Tradition & Change: Library and Museum Surveys. London: SOAS. 11–13.

Journal Article

• Starkey, Paul G. (2020). ‘Reimagining the Sufi tradition in modern Arabic literature.’ Al-Karmil: Studies in Arabic Language and Literature, 40–41:162–180.
• Starkey, Paul. (2006). '”Heroes” and Characters in the Novels of Sun‘allāh Ibrāhīm.’ Middle Eastern Literatures 9(2): 147–157.
• Starkey, Paul G.  (2003). ‘On translating Edwar al-Kharrat’s Hijarat Bobello’. Translation Review 65 (Special Issue, edited by Roger Allen.). 54–59.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1999). ‘Narrative structure in al-Tayyib Sālih’s Mawsim al-Hijra ilā al-Shimāl.’ Edebiyât 10(1): 33–42.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1998). ‘From Bulletin to Journal and Beyond.’ British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 25 (2): 215–216.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1997). ‘Some Aspects of the French Colonial Legacy in the Tunisian Novel of the 1960s and 1970s.’ Oriente Moderno XVI(2–3): 151–161.
• Starkey, Paul G.  (1995). ‘Quest for freedom: the case of the Tunisian ^‘Izz al-Dīn al-Madanī’. Journal of Arabic Literature 26: 67–79.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1993). ‘From the City of the Dead to Liberation Square: The Novels of Yūsuf al-Qa‘īd’. Journal of Arabic Literature, 24: 62–74.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1989). ‘Tawfīq al-Hakīm: leading playwright of the Arab world.’ Theater Three 6: 21–30.
• Starkey, Paul G.  (1977). ‘Philosophical themes in Tawfīq al-Hakīm’s drama.’ Journal of Arabic Literature, 8: 136–152.

Translated Book

• Starkey, Paul G. (2021, forthcoming). Sarajevo Firewood (translation of the Arabic novel Hatab Sarajevo by Said Khatibi). London: Banipal Books.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2021, forthcoming). The Drowning (translation of the Arabic novel by Hammour Ziada). Northampton, MA: Interlink Books.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2019). Praise for the women of the family by Mahmoud Shukair. Northampton, MA: Interlink Books.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2018), Fractured destinies: a novel by Rabaʻī Madʹhūn. Cairo: Hoopoe.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2016). The Shell: memoirs of a hidden observer, by Mustafa Khalifa. Northampton, MA: Interlink.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2014). The Book of the Sultan’s Seal: Strange Incidents from History in the City of Mars, by Youssef Rakha, Northampton MA: Interlink/Clockroot Books.

• Starkey, Paul G. (2012) We are all equally far from love, by Adania Shibli, Northampton MA: Clockroot Books
• Starkey, Paul G. (2012). Saladin and the Assassins, by Jurji Zaidan, Bethesda, MA, Zaidan Foundation.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2008). East Winds, West Winds, by Isa Mahdi Saqr, Cairo: AUC Press.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2007). Maryam’s Maze, by Mansoura Ez Eldin, Cairo: AUC Press.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2005). Stones of Bobello, by Edwar al-Kharrat, London: Saqi Books.
• Starkey, Paul G. (2004). Shumaisi, by Turki Al-Hamad, London: Saqi Books.
• Starkey, Paul G. (1999). Dear Mr Kawabata, by Rashid al-Daif, London: Quartet Books.

Indicators of Esteem

• 2017: 1^st place (tied) Sheikh Hamad translation award (Arabic into English)
• 2015: Winner, Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation
• 2012–2018: Vice-President, British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES)
• 2008: Member of Judges’ Panel, International Prize for Arabic Fiction (the ‘Arabic Booker’)
• 2004– : Chair, BANIPAL Trust for Modern Arabic Literature
• 2001: Panel member, Research Assessment Exercise, UoA 46; 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, Sub-Panel 48
• 2000–2003: General Secretary, Member, EMTAR / EURAMAL (European Meeting of Teachers of Arabic Literature / European Association for Modern Arabic Literature)
• 1997–2000, 2019– : Chair, Association for the Study of Travel in Egypt and the Near East (ASTENE)
• 1990–1996: Editor BRISMES Bulletin / British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies.