From Baghdad to Oxford

From Baghdad to Oxford (من بغداد إلى أكسفورد) is a 2025 book by Amal al-Jubouri that goes beyond memoir and becomes a critical scholarly project. It examines the work of Avi Shlaim, a prominent historian associated with the “New Historians,” and uses his life and scholarship as a lens for deconstructing prevailing narratives about the Arab–Israeli conflict and the broader historical discourse around it. Rather than just narrating Shlaim’s biography — from his origins in Baghdad to his academic career in Oxford — the book offers an analytical, critical reading of his writings and perspectives, aiming to unpack how historical narratives have been constructed and questioned within academic and political contexts. It situates Shlaim’s work within debates over identity, historiography, memory, and the politics of historical interpretation, particularly in relation to Israeli and Arab histories.