About

Teaching subjects: English literature, Arabic literature in translation, World literature in translation, Creative writing, Cultural Studies, Education. Research subjects: Gibali (Jebbali/ Sheri) culture, Dhofari and Omani history and culture, Intercultural Communication, English Literature, Travel Writing, Pedagogy, Anthropology

Other Publications









Foodways in Southern Oman. Routledge, 2021

Community and Autonomy in Southern Oman. Palgrave Macmillan. 2019.  https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-17004-2







“Teaching Literature on the Arabian Peninsula.” Anthropology News website, October 7, 2019. http://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2019/10/07/teaching-literature-on-the-arabian-peninsula/

“Accounts from the Journeys of the Brig ‘Palinurus’ Along the Dhofar Coast in the mid-1800s.” Maritime Exploration and Memory Conference, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England. Sept. 15, 2018.

“‘I Came to You for Good’: An Ethnographic Discussion of Folk Tales from Southern Oman.” Third Joint Seminar of The Folklore Society and the Royal Anthropological Institute.  Royal Anthropological Institute, London. October 26, 2017.

“Recent Views on Oman,” British Society for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Edinburgh, July 5-6, 2017.



“Antigone, Alcestis, Deanira and Philoketes visit the Empty Quarter: The Reception of Greek Drama on the Arabian Peninsula.” American Comparative Literature Association Conference, University of Utrecht. July 7-8, 2017.

“Female, Femininity, Male and Masculinity in the Gibali-speaking Tribes of Southern Oman,” The Gulf Research Conference, Cambridge University, August 1-4, 2017.

“‘Words Mean Nothing’: Fluency in Language and Fluency in Culture in Anthropology Fieldwork in Southern Oman,” British Society for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Wales, July 14-15, 2016.

Blog Posts

    Projects

    My current project looks at the pragmatics and cultural beliefs about the how, where and why of houses in the Dhofar region of southern Oman. I want to look at the material aspect of houses (how houses are designed, sited and built), as well as functional purposes such as how people move through spared spaces during a typical day while maintaining individual and family privacy, who is in control of decorating choices and what are the rules governing when guests may visit. I would also like to look at the symbolic aspect of houses, e.g. when are houses seen as clean or dirty and what makes a house beautiful. While most writing about buildings on the Arabian Peninsula concentrates on either traditional/ historic structures or urban architectural wonders, my work focuses on middle-class, modern housing. The information presented is built on 17 years of research on the Arabian Peninsula, formal interviews, visits to many Omani houses and the author’s ten years of living in Dhofari-designed houses in Dhofari neighborhoods.

    Memberships

    Fellow:

    • Royal Geographical Society


    Member:

    • British Society for Middle Eastern Studies

    • American Anthropology Association

    • Middle East Studies Association

    • Modern Language Association

    • Hakulyt Society

    • International Lawrence Durrell Society

    Marielle R. Risse

    Profile picture of Marielle R. Risse

    @mrrmla

    Active 1 year, 6 months ago