As his new book is published, Iranian-American poet and author Kaveh Akbar discusses the power of art to humanise collective loss, and the ongoing religious, cultural and political significance of martyrdom
Anahit Behrooz: I’m curious about what drew you to the story of Iran Air Flight 655 as the crucible to tell this story? Kaveh Akbar: I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that, in 1988, Iran Air Flight 655 was shot out of the sky by USS Vincennes and 290 people were killed, including 66 children, and nobody knows about it in America. But when I tell people, they’re never surprised – the imprecision of American justice is just taken for granted.
It’s inextricable, the political valences, with the religious cultural valences of the word martyr. And so when Cyrus comes to it, he feels it honestly and then is confronted by this long history. AB: It’s really interesting what you’re saying, because the West absolutely does create martyrs – they did it here in the UK with NHS workers during the pandemic – but they just don’t use the same syntax. KA: Absolutely, the US did that around first responders too.
Belgique Dernières Nouvelles, Belgique Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Russia’s opposition has lost a crucial leader but gained a martyrAlexei Navalny’s death is a sign of how Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship has transformed
Lire la suite »
Culture Chat: Margaret Atwood, John Grisham and friends write a novelIn an experiment whose proceeds will go to the Authors Guild of America, 36 authors including Margaret Atwood, John Grisham, Dave Eggers, and Celeste Ng, wrote a collaborative novel
Lire la suite »
Pity: An Evocative New Novel About Queer Life in the North of EnglandAn empathetic portrait of a misunderstood community, Andrew McMillan’s debut novel Pity tells the story of a shopping centre security guard and a call centre employee with two very contemporary side hustles: drag and OnlyFans
Lire la suite »
Novel therapy harnesses stem cell-derived exosomes for diabetic wound healingResearchers unveiled a novel therapy for diabetic wound healing. This research highlights the use of exosomal miR-4645-5p from hypoxic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to significantly enhance wound healing by promoting keratinocyte autophagy.
Lire la suite »
Novel technique could transform the treatment landscape for brain disordersThe human brain's adaptability to internal and external changes, known as neural plasticity, forms the foundation for understanding cognitive functions like memory and learning, as well as various neurological disorders.
Lire la suite »
Exploring the effectiveness of a novel pain management device for endometriosis painEndometriosis is a chronic condition affecting women, often resulting in painful symptoms such as menstrual cramps and pelvic pain. Pain caused by endometriosis significantly lowers the quality of life and reproductive health of affected women, with around one-third of women still experiencing pain and discomfort despite treatment.
Lire la suite »