USM has added two new Libra professors from Duke University to teach temporarily for the English Department. Nawal El Saadawi and Sherif Hetata are no ordinary teachers.
Both professors are from the Islamic Republic of Egypt and both are distinguished writers. Saadawi and Hetata were imprisoned due to the political views they express openly in their novels. Later both Saadawi and Hetata escaped into exile.
Saadawi’s views are mostly against the society of the world because of the vast majority of oppressed people. Saadawi conveys such topics as female circumcision, cruelty to women, and openly criticizes Islamic law, which has upset Islamic fundamentalists.
Hetata and Saadawi have written many books and autobiographies. Among the most well-known books by Saadawi are “Women at Point Zero,” “Fall of the Imam,” “God Dies by the Nile,” and “The Hidden Face of Eve.” Hetata has produced two books in English, one of them being the popular novel, “The Net.” Both Saadawi and Hetata feel very attached to their books and love them the way they love their own children.
“Writing is the most important way to express myself,” said Saadawi. She writes because of her dissatisfaction with the world. Also, she is trying to send out a message of justice, freedom, and love.
Hetata, Saadawi’s husband, tries to send out the same message. He believes that if people can understand each other more, a better world will be created.
“Our culture creates barriers which causes war. All of us belong to humanity,” Hetata said.
USM invited both professors to teach at the University. Saadawi now teaches non-fiction and fiction writing classes while Hetata teaches a course called “Breaking Down Barriers.” Saadawi and Hetata are enjoying their time at USM.
“I thought it would be an interesting experience,” said Hetata. “I’m enjoying my class and I feel at home with the students.”
“I needed a change and I heard that Maine was a very progressive state,” added Saadawi, who also admits to enjoying the snow.
Despite death threats, imprisonment, and being forced into exile from the Egyptian government, Saadawi and Hetata continue to stand up to their beliefs. The two recently returned from a meeting on anti-globalization in Brazil. There, thousands of people gathered to stand against capitalist societies and to make changes in the world.
“Another world is possible and it is necessary to create a new world not on profit,” said Saadawi. The world she is looking for is a world without oppression. Both Saadawi and Hetata agree that there is oppression not just in third world countries, but also in other countries including the United States.
“The oppression in the U.S. is subtle,” Saadawi pointed out. “President Bush is killing people for an economic principal. He encourages Christian fundamentalism. This is the president who is doing this, not the American people.”
“We can’t fight terrorism with war. What they [the government] are going to do is increase terrorism,” added Hetata. “They are depriving people of their liberties.”
The two professors will also teach the same classes next semester. Each hopes to accomplish something here at USM, to bring students to a better understanding of society. They want students to be informed about oppression in the world including the subtle oppression in the United States as well as the Israeli domination in the Middle East.
Hetata and Saadawi want the people of the world to think in different ways and help make the world more tolerable.
“We need to ask questions about things we normally don’t question,” said Hetata.
Alexandra Ainsworth can be contacted at [email protected]