The College of Basic Education at the University of Mosul discussed a master’s thesis entitled “The Image of Poverty in Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz: A Sociological Approach” on Monday, May 25, 2026, in Umm Al-Rabiain Hall at the college. Part of the discussion was attended by the Assistant Dean for Administrative Affairs, Assist. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Raad Ibrahim, along with a number of faculty members from the department.

The thesis, submitted by Osama Bin Zaid Younis Mohammed Al-Taie from the Department of Arabic Language, specializing in Modern Literature, aimed to examine the image of poverty in Midaq Alley from a sociological perspective. The study sought to reveal the social, economic, and psychological dimensions reflected in the novel and to demonstrate the impact of poverty on shaping the characters’ consciousness and transformations within the popular environment depicted by the novelist.

The study addressed several themes, including the concept of poverty in sociological studies, the class structure within the alley, representations of poor characters as models of marginalized social groups, and the cultural values produced by poverty and the mechanisms of living under its burden. It also analyzed power relations and authority structures within the impoverished environment portrayed in the novel.

The study reached a number of conclusions, most notably that Midaq Alley presents a profound and realistic portrayal of poverty as a social phenomenon that influences human behavior and relationships. Poverty was not merely a backdrop to the events of the novel; rather, it functioned as an active force in shaping the destinies of the characters and determining their choices. The novel also highlighted class disparity and social conflict within popular society through an artistic style that combines realism with social analysis.

The examination committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Faisal Ghazi Mohammed from the College of Education for Humanities. The committee members included Prof. Dr. Jasim Mohammed Jasim, Assist. Prof. Dr. Salem Najm Abdullah, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Mohammed Younis Saleh Al-Juraisi, who served as both member and supervisor.

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