Chants from folklore in the country have been twisted to political ends in its war, with groups competing to use them to fire up fighters and supporters. They offer insight into the balance of power.

The award-winning writer tells Al Majalla how he chronicles urban life with an eye on the country's unique heritage as well as the violent overlap between politics and crime in the present day.

From the second century to the present day, the country's literary world has been fascinated with the animal kingdom, producing rich stories that use the wild to speak of the human condition

A renowned Saudi writer with broad experience in literary genres is leading a new approach to the written word in the Arab world

The American poet, who was recently awarded a Pulitzer Prize, has been described as an ever-changing, necessary voice in contemporary poetry

It's no secret that the technological revolution has created a parallel reality, which, in turn, has been reflected in literature. Technology has helped narrow gaps felt by distance and exile.

Poets such as Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, Salah Abd al-Sabour, Khalil Hawi, and Mahmoud Darwish were said to have been influenced by Eliot; we examine the depth of this inspiration.

Identifying the motives for artistic expression is never easy. As the writer Mohammed Abi Samra finds in an encounter with 'The Dam' director, it can elicit more questions than answers.

One of the main characters in the dramatic modernisation of the Saudi cultural scene opens up about her landmark rendition of the national anthem and moves to introduce the genre to the Arab world

American scholar Kate Eichhorn believes that forgetting has become impossible in the digital age, which documents all of our movements. Shadi Alaa Aldin reviews her book, "The End of Forgetting".