Project of Translation from Arabic

The Project of Translation from Arabic (or PROTA) is an academic project initiated by Dr Salma Khadra Jayyusi in 1980 in order to translate, and publish, works of Arabic literature into the English language. The stated goal of PROTA is "the dissemination of Arabic culture and literature abroad." The project had its genesis in the late 1970s when Columbia University Press invited Jayyusi to prepare a large anthology of modern Arabic literature. Funding came from the Iraqi Ministry of Information and Culture. Two major anthologies came out of this early endeavour: Modern Arabic Poetry (1987) and The Literature of Modern Arabia (1988).

PROTA has published more than 30 titles since its inception. Among these are anthologies of fiction, poetry and drama, as well as single-author books of poetry, short stories, novellas, and novels. In its first decade, PROTA published works by leading Arab authors such as Nizar Qabbani, Ghassan Kanafani, Emile Habîby, Sahar Khalîfah, Ibrâhîm Nasrallâh, Hannâ Mînah and Zayd Dammâj. In 1992, PROTA was joined by another Jayyusi initiative, the East-West Nexus. The Project has since grown from the effort of several academics to a loose network of numerous translators and advisers.

Two PROTA academics, Salma Jayyusi and Roger Allen, were involved in the proceedings that preceded the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to the Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz. A number of other prominent academics have played key roles in translating for the project, including Naomi Shihab Nye.

A partial list of PROTA books:

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