These three finalists of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction are living through remarkable changes in their own countries. They join us to share thoughts about literature, social change and the role of writers, and to tell us about their recent work. Mansoura ez eldin (egypt) was shortlisted for the 2010 Arabic Booker Prize for her acclaimed second novel Beyond Paradise. She also runs the book review section of the distinguished egyptian literary magazine Akhbar al-Adab. Habib Selmi (Tunisia) has published eight novels, four of which have been translated into French with Actes Sud, and two into German. His novel The Scents of Marie-Claire was shortlisted for the 2009 IPAF, with an english translation published by Arabia Books in 2010; his book The Women of al-Basateen was also shortlisted for the IPAF in 2012. Khaled Khalifa (Syria) attracted worldwide media attention with his 2006 novel In Praise of Hatred (Madih al-Karahiya) which was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. Chaired by Fadi Tofeili, editor of Portal 9.