Problematics of Cultural Criticism

In "Dilemmas of Cultural Criticism: Questions in Theory and Application" (إشكالات النقد الثقافي), leading Saudi intellectual Abdullah Al-Ghathami expands on his pioneering work in establishing Cultural Criticism within Arab academia. The book critically evaluates the theoretical complexities and practical challenges faced when applying cultural methodology to texts and societal phenomena. Al-Ghathami distinguishes between traditional literary criticism—which focuses primarily on aesthetics and rhetorical form—and cultural criticism, which aims to expose "implicit cultural codes" (الأنساق المضمرة) and invisible power dynamics embedded in discourse. Through sharp methodological questions, the author addresses issues of terminology, systemic biases, and cultural hegemony, providing scholars and readers with refined analytical tools to decipher the hidden motives shaping modern literature and culture.

Because it offers an essential academic roadmap for understanding the shift from literary aesthetics to cultural critique, training readers to identify hidden cultural codes in everyday discourse.

For literary scholars, cultural theorists, academics, university students in humanities, fans of Abdullah Al-Ghathami, and anyone interested in contemporary critical theory.