What We Are Reading Today: ‘Eyeliner: A Cultural History’

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Updated 08 September 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Eyeliner: A Cultural History’

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  • Hankir, who grew up Arab and Muslim in a predominately white neighborhood in the UK, candidly writes in the first part of the book about how eyeliner was a way for her to feel a sense of belonging

Author: Zahra Hankir

In her 2023 book, “Eyeliner: A Cultural History,” Lebanese British author Zahra Hankir helps us understand how and why eyeliner became so popular.

An accomplished journalist with degrees in politics and Middle Eastern studies, Hankir often writes about the intersection of politics and culture.

Her latest work is about something personal to her but also equally universal: eyeliner.

She reminds us how, throughout history, icons such as Queen Nefertiti of ancient Egypt, pop idol Amy Winehouse, Hollywood actress Elizabeth Taylor, as well as the anonymous men of nomadic tribes, and you or I — anyone, really — could pick up an eyeliner pencil and feel instantly transformed.

Hankir takes us on a journey that spans generations and continents. It starts with her at 17, being “dragged” to a family engagement party, vividly remembering her mother’s hazel eyes framed in forest green on her eyelids and jet-black kohl along her waterlines.

Hankir, who grew up Arab and Muslim in a predominately white neighborhood in the UK, candidly writes in the first part of the book about how eyeliner was a way for her to feel a sense of belonging.

“Originated in the East, I often felt as if I were traversing space and time and conversing with my ancestors while wearing it in the West,” Hankir writes in one passage. To her, eyeliner was a way to celebrate her identity and honor those who came before.

Then she detaches from her personal narrative and goes deeper into cultural history.

To minorities and communities of color, eyeliner transcends aesthetics, she writes. She emphasizes the rich historical and cultural significance of eyeliner through a journalistic eye, describing it as a tool infused with centuries of layered histories, including those of empires, royalty, nomads, and anyone in between.

You’ll see it sported by women on the New York City subway, models on the Paris runway, as well as Bedouin men in the remote deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Members of the Taliban similarly smear a form of eyeliner onto their lids to repel the sun, as do those from indigenous tribes along mountain ranges.

“Eyeliner: A Cultural History” explores how, in ancient and modern times, the act of lining the eyes was imbued with various meanings ranging from the spiritual to the seductive.

The Prophet Muhammad is said to have used eyeliner, specifically kohl, which was believed to possess medicinal qualities. The Old Testament also describes eye paint in association with characters such as Jezebel, implying that eyeliner could have served as a means to challenge the social norms of the time.

Eyeliner can change the shape of your eye, making it appear larger or smaller, more fierce or subdued, depending on the angle, tint and intent.

Like the mighty pen, it can be a sword, as Hankir quotes in a popular Taylor Swift lyric: “Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man.”

Overall, the history of eyeliner is rich and varied, as Hankir writes, with each culture and era assigning its own meanings and purposes to this seemingly simple cosmetic tool.

Hankir edited the 2019 anthology “Our Women on the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World” in which Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor, wrote the foreword.

 

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Oxygen’ by Donald E. Canfield

What We Are Reading Today: ‘Oxygen’ by Donald E. Canfield
Updated 04 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Oxygen’ by Donald E. Canfield

What We Are Reading Today: ‘Oxygen’ by Donald E. Canfield

The air we breathe is 21 percent oxygen, an amount higher than on any other known world. While we may take our air for granted, Earth was not always an oxygenated planet. How did it come to be this way?

Donald Canfield covers this vast history, emphasizing its relationship to the evolution of life and the evolving chemistry of Earth.

He guides readers through the various lines of scientific evidence, considers some of the wrong turns and dead ends along the way, and highlights the scientists and researchers who have made key discoveries in the field.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘From Click to Boom’ by Lizhi Liu

What We Are Reading Today: ‘From Click to Boom’ by Lizhi Liu
Updated 03 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘From Click to Boom’ by Lizhi Liu

What We Are Reading Today: ‘From Click to Boom’ by Lizhi Liu

In “From Click to Boom,” Lizhi Liu examines a digital solution: governments strategically outsourcing tasks of institutional development and enforcement to digital platforms—a process she calls “institutional outsourcing.”

China’s e-commerce boom showcases this digital path to development. In merely two decades, China built from scratch a $2 trillion e-commerce market, with 800 million users, 70 million jobs, and nearly 50 percent of global online retail sales. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Liu argues, this market boom occurred because of weak government institutions, not despite them. 


REVIEW: ‘Astro Bot’ sets new standards for platformer games

REVIEW: ‘Astro Bot’ sets new standards for platformer games
Updated 03 November 2024
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REVIEW: ‘Astro Bot’ sets new standards for platformer games

REVIEW: ‘Astro Bot’ sets new standards for platformer games

LONDON: “Astro Bot,” one of Sony’s flagship titles for the PlayStation 5, raises the bar for 3D platform games.

Positioned as a competitor to well-known characters such as Mario and Sonic, this game delivers a delightful, imaginative experience, brimming with vibrant levels, innovative mechanics, and a healthy dose of nostalgia that will appeal to younger players and longtime PlayStation fans.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The storyline is simple but leaves plenty of room for the player’s imagination. You play as Astro, a charming robot hero on a mission to rescue his fellow bots scattered across various galaxies after an attack on their spaceship. While the narrative is not groundbreaking, it serves its purpose well, keeping the focus on the gameplay.

“Astro Bot” is designed to engage players of all ages. With a 7-plus age rating, it’s accessible to a wide audience — my 4-year-old, for example, finds it captivating. The game offers about nine hours of playtime for those focused on the main story, with closer to 17 hours for completionists seeking out bonus areas and treasure.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Visually, “Astro Bot” shines. Across six distinct galaxies and more than 80 creatively designed levels, players will explore tropical paradises, icy landscapes and futuristic environments, each packed with charm and variety. The level design ensures the game stays fresh throughout, keeping players engaged.

One of the game’s standout features is its exceptional use of the PS5’s Dual Sense controller. Haptic feedback and adaptive triggers make Astro’s movements feel more immersive than ever. New gadgets and abilities, like animal-themed power-ups, are seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, adding depth and variety. The way the game maximizes the controller’s features makes every jump, glide and gadget interaction feel responsive and exciting.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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“Astro Bot” is also a treasure trove for PlayStation history enthusiasts. With more than 150 iconic characters to collect — like PaRappa the Rapper, Kratos from “God of War” and Nathan Drake from “Uncharted” — the game taps into nostalgia that will bring a smile to long-time fans.

Accompanied by a playful soundtrack composed by Kenny C.M. Young, which is available on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, the overall experience is joyful and engaging.

In short, “Astro Bot” is a must-play for PS5 owners. It provides fun for all ages and sets a new benchmark for platforming games.


Book Review: ‘Gulf Women’s Lives’

Book Review: ‘Gulf Women’s Lives’
Updated 03 November 2024
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Book Review: ‘Gulf Women’s Lives’

Book Review: ‘Gulf Women’s Lives’

“Gulf Women’s Lives: Voice, Space, Place,” edited by Emanuela Buscemi, Shahd Al-Shammari and Ildiko Kaposi, explores the experiences of Gulf women through three themes: voice, space and place.

“This timely volume fills in a serious gap in research and contributes to countering stereotypes and prejudices about Muslim and Arab women, specifically those located in the Arabian Gulf,” the 2024 anthology’s blurb promises.

Through a mix of essays, literary analyses and personal narratives written by scholars and practitioners, the majority of whom are from the Gulf, “Gulf Women’s Lives” highlights how the women of the region have carved out their own path, navigating complex gender roles and expectations within public and private spaces, and often challenging traditional stereotypes that depict them as submissive or powerless.

Many stories written in the West about Gulf women paint us all with the same broad brush: we are either sad or mad. This book offers a nuanced view of how Gulf women exercise agency and construct their identities. Its interdisciplinary approach combines sociology, literature, media, law and disability studies. Each chapter is grounded in theoretical discussions about gender and the agency of women within Gulf societies. Kuwaiti artist Thuraya Al-Baqsami’s 1987 artwork, “Waiting,” is featured on the cover.

The first part, “Voices,” features three pieces rich with anecdotes: Al-Shammari’s “From Stigma to Speech: An Autoethnography of Bedouin Culture, Writing and Illness,” Kaposi’s “Women Talking Back: In Conversation with Sekka Magazine’s ‘Managing Storyteller’ Sharifah Alhinai,” and Buscemi’s “Bodies on the Margins: Nonconforming Subjectivities in Gulf Women’s Literature.”

Part two, “Spaces,” features Emirati Noura Al-Obeidli on the challenges facing female Emirati journalists in the newsroom; Nora Jaber’s critical analysis of women’s petitions and gender reforms in Saudi Arabia; and Maryam Al-Muhanadi on divorce among Qatari women.

“Places,” also features three essays, each vital to telling the individual and collective story of women in the Gulf.

The women who contributed to this volume dedicated each page to how women in the Gulf have been asserting themselves — within traditional and modern contexts — and address issues such as activism, mobility and societal expectations.

The book has a slightly academic format but is simple enough to read. The theoretical reflections and conversations challenge us all to go beyond narratives of submissiveness, powerlessness and victimization.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Power of Prions’ by Michel Brahic

What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Power of Prions’ by Michel Brahic
Updated 02 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Power of Prions’ by Michel Brahic

What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Power of Prions’ by Michel Brahic

Over the last decade, scientists have discovered the importance and widespread presence in the body of a remarkable family of proteins known as prion proteins.

Research links various types of prion proteins to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s—and this has fueled the search for new drugs that could halt the progression of these terrible disorders.

Other discoveries have revealed the essential roles prion proteins play in memory and immunity, and—in an extraordinary finding—the part they may have played in the beginnings of life on our planet.