Modern urbanization and its impact in the East

The book "Modern Urbanism and its Impact on the East" by Hana Kasbani Kourani presents a unique vision of an Arab intellectual in the late nineteenth century on the concept of "civilization" and ways to achieve it. After her trip to Europe and America, Kourani analyzes the factors of the rise of the West, highlighting the importance of science, technological progress, equality, and individual freedoms in building civilized societies. Kourani defines urbanization as a continuous process of development and advancement, and points to the role of the cultural legacy of the Romans and Greeks in paving the way for the renaissance of Europe. Kourani does not neglect to point out the contributions of Islamic civilization to the history of humanity, praising its golden age, which witnessed brilliant scientific and cultural prosperity. While Kourani expresses her regret at the East's lag behind the pace of civilization, she calls for benefiting from the Western experience, rejecting backwardness, and striving towards building societies based on science, knowledge and progress.

كانت "هنا كسباني كوراني" (1870-1898) أديبةً وخطيبةً وناشطةً اجتماعيةً لبنانيةً رائدةً. اشتهرت بدفاعها عن حقوقِ المرأةِ وتعليمِها، ودعوتِها إلى التحرّر الاجتماعيّ والتقدّم العلميّ. وعلى الرغم من قصرِ حياتها، فإنّها خلّفت إرثًا ثريًا من المؤلّفات والخطب التي لا تزال تُشكّل مصدرَ إلهامٍ للعديد من المُفكّرين والناشطين في العالم العربيّ.