Abstract

This research investigates the evolution of modern Arabic literary criticism through the dual lenses of globalization and ecocriticism. Globalization has introduced profound shifts in knowledge production, cultural identity, and critical discourse, often pressuring Arab criticism to respond to new paradigms and epistemological frameworks. However, the Arab response has been marked by hesitancy and delay, particularly in engaging with contemporary critical approaches that challenge traditional anthropocentric views. Ecocriticism, as a relatively recent approach in the Arab context, offers a platform for reevaluating the relationship between human beings, text, and environment. It calls for a deeper awareness of place, nature, and the non-human world, expanding the literary field to include ecological consciousness. This study analyzes the extent to which Arabic criticism has integrated these global perspectives and whether it has managed to move beyond passive reception toward critical productivity. It also explores how ecocriticism could contribute to renewing Arab literary discourse, especially amidst growing environmental and cultural crises. By employing comparative and analytical methods, the research draws on both Arabic and Western theoretical sources to demonstrate the necessity of reconfiguring Arab critical practices. Rather than adopting Western models uncritically, it advocates for a context-sensitive criticism rooted in Arab cultural and environmental realities. Ultimately, the study raises a key question: can ecocriticism, as a tool of rethinking the human-nature relationship, help produce a more dynamic and responsive Arab literary criticism capable of facing the intertwined challenges of environmental change and global intellectual pressure?