Dr. Otared Haidar from the University of Oxford Unveils the History of Syrian Immigrants in the United States

HUMANIORA – (9/7/2023) – The phenomenon of Syrian immigrants in the United States has been a widely discussed issue since the first wave of migration in the 1880s. This became the topic presented by Dr. Otared Haidar, a leading researcher from the University of Oxford, at the Annual International Conference on Language, Literature and Media (AICOLLIM) 5th edition on Thursday, September 7, 2023.

Through his presentation titled "Cross World Narratives and Travels: Reconstructing the history of early Syrian American immigrants," a faculty member at the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, UK, discussed significant challenges in reconstructing the history of early Syrian immigrants to the United States.

As he explained, one of the main obstacles is the lack of information about these early immigrants, particularly concerning their spatio-temporal context before immigration. Additionally, he mentioned that another challenge faced by these immigrants was the journey, arrival, and the initial stages of their settlement in their new homeland.

Dr. Otared Haidar also conveyed that there are difficulties in tracing the family roots of these early immigrants. Scarce official documents, such as those lost in the 1897 Ellis Island fire, and a shortage of written personal narratives about these individuals and groups, present further obstacles.

In the same context, he emphasized the importance of alternative sources like folk songs, literary texts, folklore, and personal documentation in reconstructing the history of the Syrian-Lebanese immigrant community. In this regard, Dr. Otared Haidar drew attention to the pioneering research by Philip Hitti, which has helped develop models and approaches for writing the history of this community. The cultural history of early immigrants holds a prominent place in the field of comparative and intercultural studies, and when presented in scholarly research, immigrant narratives can make a valuable contribution to World Literature on immigration. Dr. Otared Haidar's presentation has encouraged participants in AICOLLIM 5 to delve deeper into the history of Syrian immigrants to the United States and to appreciate their contributions to American cultural heritage. [al]