Qatari Novelist Dr. Khaled Al Jaber Unveils New Genre Exploring Interplay of Identity, Heritage, and Modernity

Doha: The Qatari novelist Dr. Khaled Al Jaber has published a new groundbreaking novel titled Safartas, by Al Nokhba for Printing and Publishing. The 211-page novel is an extraordinary genre that touches the depth of human soul through raising existential questions about identity, human psychological struggle, as well as human ability to adapt to changes in societies. In this genre, Dr. Al Jaber takes readers on a broad journey to explore the complex nexus between the self and the other, individual identity, heritage, and modernity. The events of Safartas span a prolonged period, reflecting the social and political evolutions the Gulf and Arab regions have witnessed over a century, starting from the era that preceded the discovery of oil up to contemporary times. Using his skillful novel style, Dr. Al Jaber underscores how constructive evolutions in history and geography have profoundly impacted human behavior. He offers a critical vision on the interplay between individual and group identity, in terms of the surrounding social and political reality. And considering these evolutions, the genre highlights the intricate relationship between individuals and communities, identity and heritage, as well as modernity and traditions. Through the character of Jaber portrayed in this novel, the writer talks about a generation that lived through these evolutions and was dramatically impacted by significant economic and social changes. He vividly recalls his memories, shedding light on changes in social and cultural infrastructure, as well as the Arab struggle and colonial issues. Safartas has been selected as the title of this novel, a symbolic and entangled connotation for human life, as Safartas consists of two syllables, Safar which means travel and journey and 'Tas' which means vessel. Dr. Khaled Al Jaber is a researcher and academic who holds the position of professor of political communication in the Gulf studies program at Qatar University. He has diverse literary contributions in the areas of poetry and fictio n. Source: Qatar News Agency