Housekeeping

[ajnabieh]

The reason I've been off the grid, and am only sporadically going to be around for the next 3-4 weeks, is a fabulous one: I recently accepted a (n extremely awesome) position as a visiting instructor at Hobart and William Smith colleges, and am currently packing up everything I own in preparation for moving to Western New York, in addition to trying to finish the next (and last?) draft of my dissertation before we leave.  So, despite the fact that it's Ramadan, Islamophobia has taken a massive turn for the stupid as hell lately (surprise surprise), there are terrifying massacres in Syria, Egyptian activists just left Tahrir again, and Libya is in a protracted state of civil war, I'm probably not going to be saying anything smart (or not-smart) about it. These are some quick hits before I put my head back in my work.

The one place I will be with regularity is twitter, where I am ajnabieh.  95% of my tweets are either retweets or things I'm reading, since I'm not collecting super fascinating data at the moment (and I save tweeting about lunch for Facebook).  If people are interested in a regular link spam from me, I'm more than happy to do a daily or weekly twitter-import.

I wanted to signal boost is the Fast for Yemen being sponsored by Yemen Peace News.  Yemen, along with the Sudan, are the only Arab countries on the list of least developed countries; Yemen is also in the midst of a political crisis/revolution (depends who you ask).  Food aid is desperately needed.  Ramadan is, traditionally, a season for giving and for feasting as much as fasting--G. Willow Wilson on twitter called it "Eat, Pray, Don't Eat,"--and this project calls for people, Muslim and non-Muslim, to remember Yemen during this time.  I haven't fasted yet, but I know I'll be giving, probably fasting a little, and certainly making du'as for Yemen this month.

And a side project.  Academichic, the one fashion blog I read, is closing up shop for very good reasons.  But this got me thinking about how much I wish there were more people online talking about fashion and personal aesthetics and similar things with a queer feminist/politically radical sensibility.  So, if anyone either knows people having these conversations, or, say, would be interested in trying to develop a group blog covering this ground, let me know.  I've got a lot of new teaching outfits to overanalyze for the sake of Internet feminism this fall.  I'm just saying.

Comments

[liseuse]

1) Congratulations on the visiting instructor position! That is awesome!

2) I am now going to add you on twitter. My username is the same as here.

3) I bought a dress for teaching purposes the other day and was all "Ooh, I'll have to witter about this to the internet!" so if you find those conversations I'd be very interested. I'm tempted to say I'd be in on trying to develop a group blog, but I'm not sure I have the time.

[ajnabieh]

I am really excited about it. It's an amazing department and a very cool school--really an ideal situation.

I'm not sure I have the time either...but that's never really stopped me from doing anything, sigh.

[liseuse]

This is true. I find the less time I have the more I end up volunteering to do things.

[acari]

The only fashion blog I know who comes close to what you describe is Threadbared.

[ajnabieh]

I have actually assigned Threadbared in class before! (Their essay on the pictures from Iran a few years back.) I should add them to my RSS reader, thanks for the idea!

[jae]

Congratulations on the job! That is wonderful news.

-J

[ajnabieh]

Ha, I think so! Visiting gig > adjuncting by the course. By quite a lot.

[kake]

Congratulations on the new job, and I hope the move goes well!

[ajnabieh]

Eek, thanks! I am...um...I own a lot of stuff. Now I own a lot of boxes?

[sheddingkhawatir.blogspot.com]

Mabroook! And good luck moving.

[ajnabieh]

Shukran! I'm excited...and only freaking out a little bit about having to move everything I own. (We've been settled for six years now, during which time we had a wedding and a baby...that's a lot of stuff.)

[littlebutfierce]

Congrats on the job!! & good luck w/the move, yiiiiikes.

I wish there was more political feminist discussion about fashion online!

[ajnabieh]

Sigh. MOVING. SO STRESSFUL.

I wish there were too! Someone reminded me about Threadbared, but that's not much, and I think is mostly analysis...hmph. Needs Moar Feminism With Clothes.

[wendelah1]

I enjoyed dropping in on Academichic from time to time. But I thought its emphasis was on the practical end of fashion rather than on political theory. What to wear when, how to look good doing it, while staying within an academic's/graduate student's budget. Their departure leaves a big hole in the fashion blogosphere, that's for sure.

[ajnabieh]

I really liked the way they mixed that practical stuff with some solid reflection on what clothes mean, which is the thing that I always end up poking around with. I mean, yes, I definitely could use the helpful hints, but I feel like it's the reflection that I'll miss. Often with blogs that are just pretty pictures and 'here's how to dress!' I feel like I'm being disciplined into something--a very conventional femininity, a particular sort of 'prettiness'. The critical edge makes me feel less yelled at.

[loveanddisdain.blogspot.com]

Congratulations on your new position, Prof. Ajnabieh! It's no small feat to land that as an ABD in this market. I certainly hope that you'll find the time and will to blog a bit about your experiences, once you're settled at H&WS.

[quabazaa]

Hello!! Thought I should introduce myself - I randomly stumbled onto your journal, and as an avid learner of Arabic and very interested in the culture I liked your writing and the links you post! Good luck with your move :)