North African Literatures Beyond the Francophone Maghreb

North African Literatures Beyond the Francophone Maghreb

Session type: Panel

Organized by: Ziad Bentahar

Send abstracts or inquiries to: zbentahar@towson.edu

The study, research, and teaching of North African Literature has been predominantly rooted in Francophone perspectives, and centered on the Maghreb, the region generally seen as consisting of the three former French colonies of Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. While Francophone and Maghrebi frameworks are certainly not the only ones within which North African literatures are studied, they remain the dominant ones.
In hopes of creating dialogue between scholars who are often separated into different disciplines and departments, this panel seeks to expand the scope of research on North African Literatures and Cultures, and reach beyond the traditional axes of the French language and the three countries of the Maghreb.
How do other languages in the region, such as Arabic, Tamazight (Berber), and Spanish intersect with French? How do individual North African works, writers, artists, or filmmakers problematize monolithic definitions of nationalism and regional identities? How do the literatures and cultural productions of the Maghreb relate to the rest of North Africa, or to other spaces, namely sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, or the Mediterranean?
In order to begin answering these questions, we seek submissions that address the linguistic diversity of North African literatures, or their ties to other regions and spaces. Other topics of interest include: Immigration, Sexuality and Identity, Religion, Film and Literature, and Music and Cultural studies, but we welcome submissions on any North African subject.

Please submit abstracts of 250 words to Ziad Bentahar at zbentahar@towson.edu by February 9, 2018, using the subject heading “ALA North Africa.”