In light of the major transformations happening in the Arab world, approaches to writing in expressing identity, freedom, and the self, have become increasingly diverse. This seminar brings together some of the most prominent literary and intellectual voices in the Arab world for a cultural and intellectual dialogue on the changes of contemporary writing, its relationship to creative and social change, as well as its engagement with heritage and modernity. This seminar will also address the role of Arabic literature in times of crisis and look towards a new horizon that restores writing’s vital role as a tool for critique and creativity.