The Image of the Common People in the Heritage of Al-Jahiz (d. 255 AH): A Study in Light of Cultural Criticism

Assistant Professor Muthanna Hassan Abboud Al-Khafaji 204-263

Abstract

    This study is entitled (The Image of the Common People in the Heritage of Al-Jahiz (d. 255 AH), a Study in the Light of Cultural Criticism). It is primarily concerned with questioning Al-Jahiz’s rhetorical practices towards the largest social class in Arab society in the Abbasid era, namely the common people, including the simple people, vendors, craftsmen, and other poor and destitute people. 
The study also explores the manifestations of the cultural patterns underlying the stereotypical image Al-Jahiz portrayed of them, highlighting the ideological biases and cultural connotations inherent in this image, under the influence and pressures of the ruling authority. The importance of the study stems from the fact that Al-Jahiz was one of the first intellectuals in Arab civilization to address the topic of the public, providing extensive accounts of its news and categories, and reviewing aspects of its life, livelihood, and various activities.
 Keywords: cultural criticism, cultural discourse, cultural representations, public, class inequality, hegemony, contempt.