PhD Oral Exam - Myriam Rafla, Communication Studies

When studying for a doctoral degree (PhD), candidates submit a thesis that provides a critical review of the current state of knowledge of the thesis subject as well as the student’s own contributions to the subject. The distinguishing criterion of doctoral graduate research is a significant and original contribution to knowledge.

Once accepted, the candidate presents the thesis orally. This oral exam is open to the public.

Abstract

This dissertation engages with the intricate life stories and experiences of the underrepresented and understudied Egyptian Jewish past through an engagement with the threads of memoirs, memories passed on through the generations and family heirlooms.

The work of the thesis project Quilting the Memoir: The Cultural Imaginary of Egyptian Jewry revolves around three central research issues. First, it explores the role of digital storytelling and memory in articulating the cultural heritage of Egyptian Jewry. Second, it examines the relationships between individual memories, cultural memories, and the cultural imaginary of Egyptian Jewry. And finally, it seeks to understand explore how personal memoirs and memory objects might find alternative forms of artistic expression in a time-based media installation.

Quilting the Memoir is a research-creation journey that spans a decade, resulting in three separate components – a written dissertation, a WordPress site and an exhibition of original digital artefacts. Focusing on the mid-20th century exodus of Jews from Egypt and turning to alternative and aesthetic sites of inquiry, this research-creation project aims to generate insight into the ways we remember and represent the past and imagine the future. As a research-creation thesis, Quilting the Memoir demonstrates the value of an engagement with public works, cultural imaginaries and modes of remembering that materialize in alternative research outcomes such as a time-based media installation comprised of digital memory quilts exhibited in a gallery.