Amman: The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) launched a training workshop titled 'Book Criticism Workshop,' which will be held in Jordan under the Dubai International Programme for Writing (DIPW), one of MBRF's flagship initiatives. The workshop aligns with DIPW's objective to nurture Arab talents, refine their skills, and prepare them to actively develop and disseminate knowledge.
According to Emirates News Agency, the key goal of the workshop is to develop participants' capabilities, further enhancing their reading and writing proficiency in literary narration and criticism. The workshop has been designed to equip talents with tools to master four levels of reading: elementary, inspectional, analytical, and Syntopical reading. Furthermore, the workshop aims to refine participants' writing performance across diverse forms, from artistic summaries and book reviews to article and report writing, while guiding them in preparing study outlines, drafting research papers, and authoring books using a methodical and well-structured approach.
Dr. Jamal Maqableh, workshop instructor and professor of Arabic literature and criticism at the Hashemite University in Jordan, stated that the workshop is part of MBRF's constant efforts to empower and support literature enthusiasts. It offers the younger generation an opportunity to develop their skills and broaden their intellectual horizons. In addition to offering useful tools and techniques, the workshop provides an opportunity to interact with authors, writers, and literary figures and gain insights from their experience and knowledge.
This edition of the workshop is unique in incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek, which are now prominent for their capability to accelerate recall, documentation, and text generation. These tools help reduce workload by managing a significant portion of preliminary tasks, enabling researchers to work at a more advanced level. This ensures that investing in these capabilities can redefine the boundaries of intellectual creativity in the AI era.
The workshop encompasses reading books, presentations, discussions, debates, follow-ups, and viewing and listening to relevant recordings. Moreover, it aims to equip participants with the requisite skills for deep reading and precise writing through an integrated training regimen that progresses through successive stages, from comprehension to critical evaluation. Additionally, the workshop focuses on training participants in diverse critical methodologies, including classical criticism and contemporary movements, as well as expanding the study of literary theory, the philosophy of criticism, and its multiple applications.
In addition, the workshop provides participants with opportunities to hone their skills in text summarisation and analysis, as well as in writing articles, reports, critical reviews, and research proposals, while adhering to linguistic, stylistic, and organisational standards. The workshop also includes hands-on training in using AI throughout all stages of reading and writing, not to mention fostering the development of a 'productive dialogue' between humans and machines.
At the workshop's conclusion, participants will submit their works, which include articles, studies, reports, and research, all of which will be fully developed, refined, and prepared for publication through both individual and collaborative efforts.