Post colonial theory

The Moroccan case study led by Dr. Karima Laachir exemplifies a robust application of postcolonial theory. It delves into Morocco's twentieth-century experience, emphasizing the pre-colonial history and the impact of colonialism on its cultural and linguistic fabric.

Laachir's examination highlights Moroccan resistance and agency against colonial influences, showcasing how the populace represented themselves, fought back, and mobilized for freedom struggles. Central to the study is Morocco's multilingual literary landscape, encompassing Berber, Arabic, French, Spanish, and English languages, which challenges Eurocentric narratives and canons.

Through this lens, the study critiques colonial epistemology, particularly in language policies such as Arabicisation post-independence, and emphasizes the heterogeneity of global realities beyond Western perspectives. Overall, the Moroccan case study embodies key elements of postcolonial theory, offering insights into the complexities of colonial legacies and cultural expression in a postcolonial context.

For the case we selected, we can tell that the relation between the concepts of Empire, Geography and Cultural are intricate with the Maghreb case, and it’s by the following reasons.
Talking about the e relation with the concept of Empire, we can start by defining that an empire is a group of countries ruled by one single country, and as we know, Europe has a long history of ruling over countries that benefit them in political, economical and social ways, even though this means to oppress the other nations and violate their right to independence and self determination. Also we can define the concept of protectorate, as a country that’s its mostly controlled and defended by a more powerful country.

After defining this concepts, we can begin discussing the fact that Morocco is a strategic actor in the southern Mediterranean and in the MENA region and also, one of the most developed countries of Africa, despite being considered as a lower middle income economy in the actual world. By this fact, Morocco was divided into French and Spanish protectorates in the 1912, meaning it was controlled by European powers, by this it shows the imperial influence and tendency that hegemonic countries have with nations in development that benefit their interests

The separation of Morcco by Spain and France shaped the modern political landscape of Morocco and even its cultural dynamics.
In the Geography concept, we already talked about how the location of Morocco it’s critical for having control over the southern Mediterranean area, this being the reason France and Spain to intervening this region and also, since it’s an important region in the Mediterranean area has a direct relation with the wider Arabic region and the Maghreb

This strong relation between languages, regions and cultures has made an intertwining of all of them due to the cultural exchanges and language dynamics.
Finally, the cultural aspects of the case are multifaceted, reflecting the complex relation between language, literature, ideologies, religion ads and other factors that have molded the way this region has been working in the social and cultural ways. Although, the tensions between Arabic, French and Spanish nations has changed the social relations in the region, and more now with the crescent globalization in the world, making it a more complex relation that affects the entiere region.

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The author Homi Bhabha speaks of two things: mimicry and hybridity. Both mimicry and hybridity concepts from Bhabha's work can be related to the Moroccan case study to analyze the cultural exchange, resistance, and identity formation of Morocco in a post-colonial context.

 Mimicry: It can be observed in the process of Arabization that occurred after independence. The attempt to replace French and Spanish influences with Modern Standard Arabic can be seen as a form of mimicry, where the dominant colonial languages were adopted. Of course, the Arabicization politics tried to erase them completely, this such thing was not successful. However, this mimicry involves adaptation to suit the local context, reflecting a form of resistance against the past colonial authority.

 Hybridity: Hybridity is evident in this case study of Morocco. The country's history of multilingualism, influenced by Arabic, French, Spanish, and other languages, has resulted in a complex hybrid identity. This hybridity is reflected in the coexistence of multiple languages within Moroccan literature and orature.

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Team 1:

References

Gandhi, L. (2019). Postcolonial Theory: A Critical Introduction: Second Edition: Vol. Second edition. Columbia University Press.

SOAS. (n.d.). Multilingual Locals and Significant Geographies. SOAS. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.soas.ac.uk/research/multilingual-locals-and-significant-geographies

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References

empire. (2024). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/empire

Iharchane, O., & Bennis, S. (s. f.). Revisiting the Role of the EU in the Neighbourhood: Moroccan Elite Perceptions on the EU and Its Policy Impact in the Mediterranean | PODEM. PODEM. http://podem.org.tr/en/researches/revisiting-the-role-of-the-eu-in-the-neighbourhood-moroccan-elite-perceptions-on-the-eu-and-its-policy-impact-in-the-mediterranean/

Mediterranean Cultures and Societies. (s. f.). https://calenda.org/383489

protectorate. (2024). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/protectorate

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