55 min

Eyeliner: A Cultural History | Zahra Hankir Ehkili | Books & Literature from the Arab World

    • Books

In the first episode of this new Ehkili season, we sit down with Zahra Hankir to discuss her book "Eyeliner: A Cultural History", the cultural significance of eyeliner, and the process of putting together an intersectional and cross-cultural study of its history. Zahra highlights eyeliner’s role as a cultural artifact, its use for protective, aesthetic and religious purposes, and how her book tries to decolonize the misunderstandings of the Arab world by centering its cultures and histories. We also touch on cultural preservation and erasure, particularly in the context of what is happening in Palestine.

In the first episode of this new Ehkili season, we sit down with Zahra Hankir to discuss her book "Eyeliner: A Cultural History", the cultural significance of eyeliner, and the process of putting together an intersectional and cross-cultural study of its history. Zahra highlights eyeliner’s role as a cultural artifact, its use for protective, aesthetic and religious purposes, and how her book tries to decolonize the misunderstandings of the Arab world by centering its cultures and histories. We also touch on cultural preservation and erasure, particularly in the context of what is happening in Palestine.

55 min