Hafnaoui Baali stripped of Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Literature

[Al-khiyal]

Sheikh Zayed Book Award announces winners of "Literature" and "Children's literature"

Abu Dhabi, February 7, 2010 (WAM) -- The Sheikh Zayed Book Award for "Literature" went this year to Hafnaoui Baali from Algeria for his book Comparative Cultural Criticism - an Introduction (published by Arab Scientific Publishers, Inc 2007). The Award's Advisory Council's recognition came as a result of the underpinning value of Baali's work; the book provides international and interdisciplinary explorations of intellectual controversies, trends, and issues in culture, theory, and philosophy. Emphasizing critique rather than criticism, the book draws on the diverse and conflictual approaches of Marxism, Feminism, Psychoanalysis, Semiotics, Ecology and Anthropology to offer analysis in society and its transformation. Additional special issues covered in the book are; Globalization/Globality, clash of civilizations; comparative symbolism and post colonialism. Additionally, the book provides an in-depth analysis of Edward Said's highly influential writings in imperialism and culture. Al Oraimi noted that "this book is considered a monumental intervention in cultural history and philosophy."

The Secretary General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, Mr. Rashed Al Oraimi, also announced Qais Sedki from the United Arab Emirates the winner of the "Children's literature" category for his book Gold Ring - Volume 1 (Pageflip Publishing, 2009). Al Oraimi explained that the winning book provides an excellent introduction for children to Falconry as a well-known sport in the Gulf region since early generations written in classical Arabic. "The book smartly employs this interesting topic to stress the deeply-rooted Arab culture and heritage; The Arab virtues of family values, hospitality, respect for others and pride in traditions" Al Oraimi elaborated. It is noteworthy that the winner worked with two of Japan's foremost Manga artists, duo Akira Himekawa (who worked on both Nintendo's Legend Of Zelda and Astro Boy), to produce the book.

The results of the remaining award categories will be announced next week, to be followed by an award presentation ceremony to celebrate the excellence in Arabic letters on Wednesday 3rd of March 2010 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, parallel to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. The award was established in memory of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who served as the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE for over 30 years. The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is an independent cultural award established under the patronage and support of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage. One of the missions of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award is to foster greater scholarship and creativity by recognizing and rewarding significant cultural achievements to Arabic culture. The Sheikh Zayed Book Award rewards innovators and thinkers in areas of knowledge, arts and humanities. Winners are identified through stringent scientific and objective principles to evaluate the merits of their creative work. The award comprises a total monetary prize value of seven million UAE dirhams. Each prize consists of a gold medal bearing the SZBA logo and a certificate of merit. The Cultural Personality of the Year winner receives a prize of one million dirhams, while the winners of the other categories receive 750,000 dirhams.

Categories of the Award

The award recognizes cultural achievement across one of the broadest and most diverse areas of any cultural awards internationally, including:

Contribution to the Development of the Nation: Consists of works in the fields of economics, sociology, management, politics, law and theology that contribute to the country's advancement.

Children's Literature: Covers literary and cultural works addressing various children's groups

Young Author: Recognizes scientific, literary or cultural works produced by authors younger than 40 years

Translation: Includes translated works, either to or from Arabic Literature: Represents works across various categories of literature including poetry, stories, novels and plays, research addressing literary theories, creative writings or works of criticism.

Fine Arts: Covers books about various forms of art such as music, cinema, architecture, plastic art, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, photography and digital arts.

Best Technology in the Field of Culture: Recognizes written or digital works and researches which promote the Arabic language.

Publishing and Distribution: Includes publishers, distributors and research institutions which produce a diverse range of texts printed to the highest standard.

Cultural Personality of the Year: Honors a prominent Arab or international figure who has contributed to the advancement of the Arabic culture, embodies through his/her work tolerance and promotes peaceful coexistence

[Al-khiyal]

Le Docteur Hafnaoui Baâli remporte le prix du livre «Cheikh Zaid» dans la catégorie littérature

Lundi 8 Février 2010 -- Le docteur algérien Hafnaoui Baâli a reçu, avant-hier, le prix du livre «Cheikh Zaid», dans la catégorie littérature pour son livre intitulé «Introduction à la théorie de la critique littéraire comparée», paru en 2007. Le prix de la catégorie littérature enfantine a, quant à lui, été attribué à Kais Sedki pour son livre paru en 2008. Rappelons que docteur Hafnaoui est professeur à l'université des lettres et sciences humaines d'Annaba, qu'il est titulaire d'un doctorat d'état de la même filière. Celui-ci a déjà été récompensé pour son travail littéraire en 2002. Notons, enfin, que le prix du livre «Cheikh Zaid», est une structure indépendante qui récompense une fois par an des artistes, des intellectuels, des éditeurs et des jeunes, pour leur apport dans le domaine de la publication, de la traduction des sciences humaines. La somme offerte aux lauréats est de 7 millions de Dirham Emiratis, ce qui représente, à peu près, 1,4 milliards de centimes algériens.

[Al-khiyal]

Sheikh Zayed Book Award withdraws last year's literature award

ABU DHABI, October 26, 2010 -- It has come to Sheikh Zayed Book Award’s attention that some entities have raised serious concerns with respect the scientific research methodologies and ethics employed by the author, Dr. Hafnaoui Baali, in the book entitled Comparative Cultural Criticism - an Introduction the winning book of the Literature Category Award, in the Sheikh Zayed Book Award’s fourth session. In view of that, the Award has taken stringent investigative procedures by appointing a panel of experts and specialists in literature and scientific research to review and re-assess the references and resources the author of the book referred to while writing the book questioned, and to examine whether the author followed the scientific research standards and procedures acknowledged, communicated and applied, thoroughly and earnestly.

Accordingly, the investigation revealed that, while the book provides international and interdisciplinary explorations of intellectual controversies, trends, and issues in culture, theory, and philosophy, it contained excerpts and quotations that where ill-referenced or not referenced at all, to the extent considered wrongful appropriation of other authors’ thoughts, ideas, and expressions, and the representation of them as one's own original work. Hence, and in light of the findings of the investigation, and to safeguard the standards and regulations the Award works by in evaluating, assessing and nominating winners from outstanding Arab writers, intellectuals, publishers as well as young talent whose writings and translations of humanities have scholarly and objectively enriched Arab cultural, literary and social life, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award has decided to withdraw the granted award to the author.

[Al-khiyal]

Algerian author stripped of Emirati award over plagiarism accusations

October 26, 2010 -- The Sheikh Zayed Book Award on Tuesday announced it is stripping the 2009-2010 winner of the literature section of his award. The decision marks the first such move in the history of Arab literary awards. The book, titled Mudkhal fi Nazareyyat al-Naqd al-Thaqafi al-Muqaran (An Approach to Comparative Cultural Criticism), by Algerian writer Hafnaoui Baali, was published in 2007 in Beirut. The award is worth 750,000 derhams.

Al-Imaraat al-Youm, an Emirati newspaper, said the writer of the book is accused of plagiarism. The matter has been referred to a scientific committee for investigation, the paper reported. Egyptian critic Abdallah al-Samti, who exposed the violation, said the awarded literature stole more than 30 long paragraphs from a book published in 2000 by critic Abdalla al-Ghadthami. According to al-Samti, Baali cited illusory references for the plagiarized text. A statement by the institution that issues the Sheikh Zayed award said the writer had, at several points, attributed the work of others to himself.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award was introduced in 2006 and is an independent institution that honors creative thinkers, publishers and translators in the field of humanities. The total value of the awards it hands out is US$2.5 million, which is given to contributors to the fields of development and state building, children’s and general literature, translation, arts and publishing. The awards also go to young writers and to annual cultural figures.