The Influence of the Arab Spring on Arabic YA Literature

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the political uprisings in the Middle East, known as the Arab Spring, on Arabic YA literary books. It is based on a content analysis of the Etisalat Book Award’s shortlisted entries for the period 2012–2016. It is argued that both children’s and YA literature of the Arab World subsequently became more open about discussing political and social events. While it could be argued that warfare and political instability have proved fruitful in providing material for stories, generally this fiction represents an optimistic trend, advocating peace as a healthy alternative to war. The findings of this article should enable all those interested in both children’s and YA literature to discover more authentic, literary, Arabic YA books.