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Category: MECAM

Crises and Transnational Migration in Tunisia (2011-2024): Discourses and Practices of Hospitality and Rejection of Immigrants – 5in10 with Riadh Ben Khalifa

Riadh Ben Khalifa Riadh Ben Khalifa is an associate Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Tunis. His research interests focus on migration, asylum, and mobility in transitional contexts. Over the past decade, he published several books and articles in refereed journals as well as contributed to numerous chapters in collective works. He also made contributions to reports on migration and refugee issues for international organizations.

The Scopophilic Pleasure of the Gaze in Asfour Stah

By Najla Mosbahi. Asfour Stah (also known as Halfaouine: Boy of the Terraces) is a film that explores the complexities of Tunisian society in the early 1990s. At this time, Tunisia was undergoing significant social change, grappling with the legacy of Habib Bourguiba’s progressive reforms that had improved women’s rights. However, despite these advancements, traditional gender roles remained deeply entrenched, creating a complex landscape for women. With the film, director Férid Boughedir aimed at revealing “the hidden struggles of women in a society that often silences their voices, showcasing their strength and resilience within the constraints imposed by tradition”.

A Political History of the Contemporary Maghreb: From the 1950s to the Present – Conversation with Nessim Znaien

Nessim Znaien is a Junior Professor at the University of Marburg, holding the (Post)colonial Maghreb Chair since April 2022. After studying history in Lyon and Paris, he defended a doctoral thesis at the University of Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne in September 2017, entitled “Les raisins de la domination. Histoire sociale de l’alcool dans la Tunisie du Protectorat (1881-1956)”. Nessim Znaien is one of the editors of the journal l’Année du Maghreb. He conducts research on the history of material culture in the colonial and post-colonial Maghreb, in particular on the history of food and cereals. A Conversation with Diana Abbani.

State–Society Relations and Sustainable Growth in Tunisia Post-2011  

By Mohamed Ismail Sabry. In the post-2011 Revolution years, ideological polarisation and political instability weakened the Tunisian state, freeing much space for business tycoons to largely dominate the political realm. Such “state capture” had a deep impact on the enactment and/or implementation of various policies that would significantly affect inclusive and sustainable growth. After 2011, tycoons benefitted from the lax and discretionary implementation of policies.

The Genesis of the Modern European State between Bourdieu and Weber: A Methodological Perspective

Reflecting on his methodological approach to researching Hamas and Ennahda during his recent fellowship with MECAM, Palestinian political scientist Imad Alsoos, in this conversation with Julius Dihstelhoff, explores how the intersection of symbolic power and social consent shapes the legitimacy of these movements. He emphasizes the role of embedded social practices in gaining public support for political authority.

Reimagining the Maghreb: Navigating an Autonomous Region in Motion

By Julius Dihstelhoff, Rachid Ouaissa, and Thomas Richter. The Maghreb has been shaped and influenced by external powers and forces throughout most phases of its recent history. As a vibrant space in motion, this world region is only at the beginning of a long process of carving out its own future autonomous role. Historically, the Maghreb has faced internal tensions due to acute disparities and complex external interlinkages with surrounding regions. These tensions are crucial for understanding contemporary transformation processes and future dynamics.

That Was Tomorrow: A Conversation About Arab Imaginaries in Berlin

Syrian writer Rasha Abbas and Palestinian artist Muhammad Jabali, in conversation with Diana Abbani, discuss the evolving dynamics and narratives shaping Berlin, a city once envisioned as an Arab cultural hub. By exploring how Berlin’s cultural landscape has been influenced by migration, identity politics, and recent political changes, emphazizing the need for both imagination and realistic approaches to create more livable cities.

Hysteria: Unveiling Tunisian Women’s Journey in Writing Chick-Lit

In this article, Cyrine Kortas reviews the Tunisian writer Faten Fazaa’s book “Hysteria”. Written in Tunisian dialect and focusing on the everyday struggles of an ordinary woman from the old Medina, the book is labeled as Tunisian chick lit, a new literary genre that has flourished. Offering a glimpse into the lives of Tunisian young women, she addresses social and political issues while questioning cultural norms. By means of this novel Cyrine Kortas examines the topic of female gender identity negotiation in a Muslim society on the eve of the Arab Spring era.

Freedom of Conscience and LGBT Rights in Tunisia and Morocco: The Spring is Yet to Come – 5in10 with Tommaso Virgili

Tommaso Virgili is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Migration, Integration, Transnationalization Department of the WZB Berlin Social Science Center and a Research Associate at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies in Brussels. At the WZB, he works on Islamism and liberal Islam in connection with individual rights, with a focus on Europe and the MENA region. Tommaso holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Public Law and a Master’s degree in Law from Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa and a Master of Arts in Middle East and Islamic Studies with Arabic from the American University of Paris and Cairo.

Les oubliés du prétoire: les interprètes judiciaires en Tunisie à l’époque coloniale (1883-1955) – 5in10 with Hend Guirat

Hend Guirat est maitresse-assistante au département d’histoire de la Faculté des Sciences Humaines et Sociales de Tunis, elle a soutenu en 2014 à l’EHESS (Paris), une thèse sur «La peine de mort en Tunisie sous le protectorat. Les condamnations prononcées par la justice pénale française (1883-1955)». Ses travaux de recherche portent essentiellement sur l’histoire de la justice à l’époque coloniale et postcoloniale et sur les divers acteurs de la hiérarchie judiciaire (magistrats, interprètes et avocats). Elle s’intéresse également à la question du genre et de la justice. Elle est membre du Laboratoire Monde arabo-islamique médiéval (FSHST).