Bilal Maanaki

Bilal Maanaki is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Virginia, specializing in Arabic love poetry, particularly the work of Majnun Layla. His research explores the cultural and political dynamics shaping poetic traditions from the 9th to early 20th century, alongside the impact of storage and dissemination tools on literary reception.

Education:

• BA in Philosophy, American University of Beirut
• Diploma in Acting, Institute of Fine Arts, Lebanese University
• MA in Higher and Post-Secondary Education, University of Michigan
• MA in Near Eastern Languages & Cultures, Indiana University
• PhD Student in Near Eastern Languages & Cultures and Communication & Culture, Indiana University

Research Focus: Classical Arabic poetry, love-themed literary analysis, historical reception studies, and the intersection of performance and cultural/political contexts.

Specialties: Classical Arabic Poetry and Literature, Communication and Culture, Performance and Drama.