Public–private wage differentials in Tunisia

Amara, M., Khallouli, W. & Zidi, F. (2024) Public–private wage differentials in Tunisia: Consistency and decomposition. LABOUR, 1–36.

Mohamed Amara, fellow at the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM), along with co-authors Wajih Khallouli and Faicel Zidi, presents a comprehensive analysis on public–private wage disparities in urban Tunisia. Their study, featured in LABOUR, scrutinizes the intricate factors contributing to these discrepancies, shedding light on the impact of education, gender, and skill levels.

For an in-depth exploration of their findings, access the full article here: Link

For more details, access the full article: [Download].

Alternative targeting methods for social assistance programs

Nasri, K., Amara, M., & Helmi, I. (2024). Alternative targeting methods for social assistance programs: Evidence from Tunisia. Social Policy & Administration, 1–24.

Mohamed Amara, a fellow at the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies on the Maghreb, along with Khaled Nasri and Imène Helmi, presents a comprehensive analysis of social assistance programs in Tunisia, highlighting the crucial importance of these programs in combating poverty, reducing inequalities, and addressing social exclusion. Their study, published in Social Policy & Administration, examines two approaches to targeting beneficiaries of these programs, including cash transfers and healthcare programs. For a detailed exploration of their findings, access the full article here: Link

For more details, access the full article: [Download].

MECAM: Milestones and Measures – New Articles in the second issue of the University of Tunis’ journal “Joussour”

Dr. Julius Dihstelhoff, Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM): Final conference of the preliminary phase of the project (2020-2023) in Tunis & approval of the main phase of the project (2023-2029), in Joussour, Revue de l’Université de Tunis, Vol 2, March 2024, 22-24.

Dr. Diana Abbani, Face aux défis de la pandémie de COVID-19 : Les mesures prises par le MECAM pour lancer et maintenir la continuité de ses activités, in Joussour, Revue de l’Université de Tunis, Vol 2, Mars 2024, 39-42.

MECAM is pleased to announce the publication of two articles titled “Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) : Conférence finale de la phase préliminaire du projet (2020-2023) à Tunis & l’approbation de la phase principale du projet (2023-2029),” authored by MECAM’s Academic Coordinator Dr. Julius Dihstelhoff, and “Face aux défis de la pandémie de COVID-19 : Les mesures prises par le MECAM pour lancer et maintenir la continuité de ses activités,” written by MECAM’s Science Communication Coordinator Dr. Diana Abbani, in the second issue of the University of Tunis’ journal “Joussour.”

  • Julius Dihstelhoff’s article summarizes the final conference of MECAM’s preliminary project phase in Tunis and the approval of its main phase. The conference, “Imagining Futures – Dealing with Disparity,” gathered 70 researchers to discuss inequalities and future visions. MECAM concluded its preliminary phase successfully and secured funding for another six years. It aims to be a hub for intellectual exchange, showcasing pioneering research in the Maghreb’s humanities and social sciences internationally.
  • Diana Abbani’s article summarizes MECAM’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing efforts to maintain activities despite challenges. Adaptations to fellowship programs and scientific events were made to comply with restrictions, with essential collaboration with the Forum Transregionale Studien. Despite obstacles, MECAM remained flexible and committed to its objectives, sparking critical debates on health protocols and knowledge production.

For more details, download the full edition: Link

Power-Sharing Processes in Post-Arab Spring Tunisia: From Elite Compromise to Presidential Monopolization

Julius Dihstelhoff and Moritz Simon, Power-Sharing Processes in Post-Arab Spring Tunisia: From Elite Compromise to Presidential Monopolization, in Power-Sharing in the Global South, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 85–120, 2024.

Julius Dihstelhoff, academic coordinator at the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM), and Moritz Simon contributed a chapter entitled “Power-Sharing Processes in Post-Arab Spring Tunisia: From Elite Compromise to Presidential Monopolization” to the recently published volume “Power-Sharing in the Global South” edited by Eduardo Wassim Aboultaif, Soeren Keil and Allison McCulloch.

In the context of the so-called Arab Spring, Tunisia is the only Arab country to have undergone a formal democratic transition since 2010/2011. Such consolidation can be traced back to an elite compromise (Itifaq al nukhba). This specific and initially persistent format of power-sharing was characterized by personal negotiation processes. This practice took place—within and outside—an institutional superstructure that, amid a multitude of sociopolitical and economic challenges, corresponded at least formally to an institutional democracy. Since 2018, a decline of the elite compromise could be observed, culminating in the abolition of the power-sharing arrangement in favor of a presidential monopolization of power. Using sociohistorical reflection, this chapter will provide an overview of the characteristics of the Tunisian format of power-sharing in a three-step process, thus analyzing (1) the creation, (2) the functional implementation and adaptation in terms of institutional constitutionality, and (3) the decline and dissolution of the power-sharing process and system.

For more details, read the full analysis: Link

Gazan perspectives on Hamas and the day after 

Imad Alsoos, Gazan perspectives on Hamas and the day after, in Governing Gaza After the War: Palestinian Debates, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 09.02.2024.

Imad Alsoos, Fellow at the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) just published an analysis entitled “Gazan perspectives on Hamas and the day after”, in Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, in the second part of the Middle East Program’s series on postwar governance in Gaza “Governing Gaza After the War: Palestinian Debates”.

For more details, read the full analysis: Link

Development at Work: Postcolonial Imaginaries, Global Capitalism, and Everyday Life at a Factory in Tunisia

André Weißenfels, Development at Work: Postcolonial Imaginaries, Global Capitalism, and Everyday Life at a Factory in Tunisia, Politik und Gesellschaft des Nahen Ostens (PGNO), Springer VS, 2024.

Nous sommes ravis d’annoncer la publication de la thèse de doctorat “Development at Work: Postcolonial Imaginaries, Global Capitalism, and Everyday Life at a Factory in Tunisia” du Dr. André Weißenfels, alumni du Interdisciplinary Fellowgroup II “Inégalité & Mobility” du MECAM.

Why did the postcolonial Tunisian state promise development? How do these promises reverberate in the hopes and dreams of Tunisians today? And how do they fit into contemporary global capitalist structures of exploitation? Starting from the everyday life at a French factory in Tunisia this book explores the relationship between the political economy of Tunisia, postcolonial promises of the Tunisian state and the hopes and dreams of Tunisians working in the factory. It argues for taking the concept of development seriously not as a desirable policy goal but as a multi-dimensional social and political fact: as the unfolding of global capitalism, as a postcolonial nation-state project, and as a personal everyday imaginary. The book employs a longue durée perspective that analyzes contemporary desires and expectations while tracing and placing them inside Tunisia’s history. It thus contributes to our understanding of state-society relations and global capitalism in Tunisia.

For more details: Link

An Exploratory Practice Study on the Use of Film Adaptation in the Tunisian Literature Classroom

Cyrine Kortas, An Exploratory Practice Study on the Use of Film Adaptation in the Tunisian Literature Classroom, in Studies in Applied Linguistics & TESOL at Teachers College, Columbia University, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 118-127.

Cyrine Kortas, long-term Fellow of the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) (2023-2026) as just published an article entitled “An Exploratory Practice Study on the Use of Film Adaptation in the Tunisian Literature Classroom”, in Studies in Applied Linguistics & TESOL at Teachers College, Columbia University.

This exploratory practice study examined the effectiveness of film adaptation in teachinga Shakespearean play, The Merchant of Venice, during the fall semester of 2022 at the Higher Institute of Languages, Gabès. Qualitative and quantitative data from third-year students majoring in English language, literature, and civilization, as well as teachers of English literature were collected through a questionnaire and two interviews. Questionnaire results indicated that the majority of students had a positive view of the film adaptation of the play in question, noting that it helped them overcome their anxiety when reading Shakespearean works and increased their motivation and engagement. The teachers interviewedhighlighted the effectiveness of film adaptation in teaching literature,in general,and Shakespearean plays,in particular. Link

Les mécanismes législatifs de l’autoritarisme algérien face au hirak : entre répression de la mobilisation et prévention de toute organisation du mouvement

 

Massensen Cherbi, « Les mécanismes législatifs de l’autoritarisme algérien face au hirak : entre répression de la mobilisation et prévention de toute organisation du mouvement », L’Année du Maghreb [En ligne], 30 | 2023, mis en ligne le 22 décembre 2023, consulté le 24 décembre 2023. URL :http://journals.openedition.org/anneemaghreb/12193 

Massensen Cherbi, long-term Fellow of the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) (2023-2026) has just published an article entitled « Les mécanismes législatifs de l’autoritarisme algérien face au hirak : entre répression de la mobilisation et prévention de toute organisation du mouvement » in L’Année du Maghreb 30 | 2023 in the file « L’ordre et la force » under the section « Enjeux et débats : Algérie ».

Since June 2019, the Algerian hirak has been subjected to a judicial crackdown that has put an end to its public action since May-June 2021. To repress the mobilization of this peaceful “Movement” and prevent its structuration, the authorities already had at their disposal a wide range of repressive provisions restricting rights and freedoms – a legacy of the colonial era, the single party, the Black Decade and the containment of the Arab Springs. To respond to the specificities of the hirak, this arsenal was reinforced, as soon the confinement that followed the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic was announced, with the promulgation of new laws targeting “passive solidarity crime” and discourse of hatred or “fake news”. In addition, Ordinance No. 21-08 of 8 June 2021 more broadly and severely criminalized the demands of the movement, extending the qualification of terrorist act and sabotage to the fact of “striving or inciting, by any means, to access power or change the system of governance by non-constitutional means” (Penal Code, art. 87 bis, para. 14).

For more information and to download :

Kais Saied’s reconfiguration of Tunisia’s political system: Hegemonic ambitions to no avail? – A critical approach

Julius Dihstelhoff et Mounir Mrad, « Kais Saied’s reconfiguration of Tunisia’s political system: Hegemonic ambitions to no avail? – A critical approach », L’Année du Maghreb [En ligne], 30 | 2023, mis en ligne le 27 novembre 2023, consulté le 23 décembre 2023. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/anneemaghreb/12223

Julius Dihstelhoff, MECAM’s Academic Coordinator, and Mounir Mrad, MECAM’s Programme Managern, have just published an article entitled « Kais Saied’s reconfiguration of Tunisia’s political system: Hegemonic ambitions to no avail? – A critical approach» in L’Année du Maghreb 30 | 2023 in the file « L’ordre et la force » under the section « Enjeux et débats : Tunisie ».

The present article scrutinizes Tunisia’s contemporary political system under the regime of President Kais Saied, who has been endeavoring to ‘reconfigurate the state’ since July 25, 2021. Drawing upon the theoretical perspectives of two disparate thinkers, the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci and the German constitutionalist Carl Schmitt, the authors seek to investigate the genesis of Saied’s implemented measures. The article examines how Saied’s restructuring of Tunisia’s political system can be explained by drawing upon the conceptual proposals of «hegemonic sovereignty» by Kalyvas (2020) and Gramsci’s «dictatorship without hegemony» (Gramsci, 1971), the latter representing a sustained hegemonic crisis. The authors contextualize their study by examining Tunisia’s longstanding «hegemonic crisis» (Schwarzmantel, 2015) and its exacerbation since the ‘Tunisian revolution’. They argue that a preliminary culmination and expression of this ‘hegemonic crisis’ can be perceived as the Schmittian momentum of a «sovereign dictatorship» (Schmitt, 1921-23/1928), and the latter should be especially considered in conjunction with a historical long-term perspective on hegemonic crisis to assess Saied’s assumption of power. They thereby explore the processes of hegemonic formation or failure in Tunisia following the 2010/2011 revolution, while highlighting the associated social and economic challenges of instituting a new political order. As empirical basis for this article, the authors utilize a range of sources, including recent academic publications, governmental decrees, diverse media reports, and speeches of and interviews with Saied subsequent to his assumption of power, to support their document analysis.

For more information and to download :

Islam, religion of the State: an Algerian enigma

Massensen Cherbi, l’islam religion de l’Etat: une énigme algérienne, in Revue française de droit constitutionnel 2023/4 (N° 136), pp. 811 à 842, Éditions Presses Universitaires de France. DOI 10.3917/rfdc.136.0811

Massensen Cherbi, long-term Fellow of the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) (2023-2026) as just published an article entitled « Islam, religion of the State: an Algerian enigma », in Revue française de droit constitutionnel 2023/4 (N° 136).

The consecration of Islam as the religion of the State in the first Algerian Constitution of 1963 led Boualem Benhamouda, MP and future Minister of Justice (1970-1977), to ask the Constituent Assembly about such a proclamation: “Are you prepared to draw all the consequences from this principle? More than half a century later, the question still remains open, even though since the constitutional revision of 2020, Algeria’s Basic Law has proclaimed that it is possible to derogate from the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution by law, in order to preserve “national constants” (art. 34, para. 2) which, while remaining undefined, seem to refer to Islam, constantly proclaimed the religion of the State since independence. The same revision also saw the abolition of freedom of conscience and belief, which had been enshrined in the 1976 Constitution. These upheavals are taking place against a backdrop marked by the introduction of the exception of unconstitutionality as part of the 2016 constitutional revision, which since 7 March 2019 has made it possible to challenge legislation that discriminates against gender or restricts religious freedom. This context was also marked by the repression of the Hirak, a peaceful movement that emerged in February 2019 against President Bouteflika’s fifth term in office and in favour of a “radical change of system”. These upheavals raise more general questions about the notion of state religion and its legal implications in Algeria. Link

Arabs at the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students: UGEMA in the USSR, 1957

Elizabeth Bishop, Arabs at the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students: UGEMA in the USSR, 1957, in The Maghreb Review, Maghreb Publications,Volume 48, Number 4, 2023, pp. 424-442, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1353/tmr.2023.a911142

We are thrilled to announce the release of a groundbreaking article by Dr. Elizabeth Bishop, an alumna of IFG V on Identities and Beliefs, entitled “Arabs at the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students: UGEMA in the USSR, 1957”, in in The Maghreb Review, Maghreb Publications,Volume 48, Number 4, 2023.

The Sixth International Festival of Youth and Students for Peace and Friendship (VIème Festival Mondial de la jeunesse et des étudiants pour la paix et l’amitié) took place in Moscow in 1957, bringing 30,000 foreigners straight into the heart of socialism. Guests from 131 different countries were present; historian Kristen Roth-Ey identifies the “openness of ordinary Soviets to contacts with ordinary foreigners” as the Moscow event’s most remarkable feature: “many delegates found themselves literally surrounded by crowds of Soviets, some with questions, some looking for an autograph or to exchange a pin or shake hands, and some, perhaps many, just looking.” As Roth-Ey points out, the Soviet communist party encouraged this kind of friendliness (which is germane to our wider conversation about Arab-Soviet internationalism); A. N. Shelepin, head of the Komsomol (the communist youth organization), explained, “we must run the festival in such a way that the overwhelming majority of participants leave Moscow as our friends. That’s our main task, that’s our general line.” In part because invitations went to individuals, not to official organizations – in part because of the scale of the event – a “freewheeling, informal spirit” distinguished a culmination of post-World War II euphoria during the summer of 1957. Link

The 2020 Algerian Constitutional Revision. Bringing an End to the Hirak through the Law and Preventing its Resurgence

Massensen Cherbi, La révision constitutionnelle algérienne de 2020 : Mettre un terme au Hirak et prévenir sa résurgence par le droit, in Mondes arabes 2023/2 (N° 4), Éditions La Découverte, pp. 93-115.

Massensen Cherbi, long-term Fellow du Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) (2023-2026) as just published an article entitled « The 2020 Algerian Constitutional Revision. Bringing an End to the Hirak through the Law and Preventing its Resurgence» in Mondes arabes 2023/2 (N° 4).

The Algerian constitutional reform of December 30, 2020 has now furnished authorities with the constitutional mechanisms needed to respond to the institutional blockages of 2019 and prevent any resurgence of the Hirak (2019–2021), a peaceful movement that opposed President Bouteflika’s fifth term and, more generally, called for a “radical change of the system.” This reform was indeed an opportunity to constitutionalize the “real power” held by the army, which it proclaimed guarantor of the “vital and strategic interests of the country,” (art. 30, para. 4) while also legitimizing the judicial repression of the Hirak under the pretext of preserving “public order,” “security,” and “national continuity.” (art.34, para.2).

For more information and to download : Link

© de Gruyter 2023 (Photo Steffen Wippel 2010)

Branding the Middle East: Communication Strategies and Image Building from Qom to Casablanca

Steffen Wippel (ed.), Branding the Middle East: Communication Strategies and Image Building from Qom to Casablanca, De Gruyter, Volume 38 in the series Studies on Modern Orient, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110741100

Steffen Wippel, currently MECAM Publications Manager at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) │GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES) in Hamburg and last year’s coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Fellow Group “Resources & Sustainability” (IFG IV) at the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Marburg, has published a new edited volume entitled “Branding the Middle East: Communication Strategies and Image Building from Qom to Casablanca.” The book has been published in the series Studies on Modern Orient, Volume 38 | Edition Klaus Schwarz by the renowned academic publishing house Walter De Gruyter, Berlin & Boston.

This edited volume investigates place, product, and personal branding in the Middle East and North Africa, including some studies from adjacent regions and the wider Islamicate world. While branding in the Western world and many emerging economies has been meticulously analysed, it fills an important gap in the research on MENA countries. The diversity of contributors from different regional and disciplinary backgrounds allows for a variety of research questions, perspectives, and approaches to the complex and, over the past two decades, regionally burgeoning phenomenon.

Going beyond the mere presentation of logos and slogans, the edited volume critically analyses processes of strategic communication and image building under general conditions of globalisation, neoliberalisation, and postmodemisation and, in a regional perspective, under persistent authoritarian rule and increased efforts at “worlding.” In particular, the authors look at the multiple actors involved in branding activities, their interests and motives, and examine the tools, channels, and forms of branding. A strong interest exists in the entanglements of different spatial scales and the (in)consistencies of communication measures. Attention is paid to the reconfigurations of particular images over time, the positioning of branding objects in time and space, and related geopolitical contexts. Historical case studies complement the focus on contemporary branding efforts.

Thanks to the generous funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), through the MECAM, the book is not only published as a printed hardback version, but is also freely available as Open Access, via the publisher’s website,

Energy, Refugees, Geopolitics: The World Courts North Africa – But the Maghreb is Fragmented

Rachid Ouaissa, Energie, Flüchtlinge, Geopolitik: Die Welt hofiert Nordafrika – aber der Maghreb ist zerrissen, Tagespiegel, 03.10.2023.

Rachid Ouaissa, Director of the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb, has published an article in the German newspaper Tagesspiegel entitled “Energy, Refugees, Geopolitics: The World Courts North Africa – But the Maghreb is Fragmented”. In this article he sheds light on current developments in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Find out how these North African states are drifting apart in their foreign policies and what factors and interests are at play.

Read the full article: Link

Energie_Page_1
Sustainable Development - 2023 - Sabry_Page_01

State-society relations and industrial sustainable growth: The case of post-Revolution Tunisia

Mohamed Ismail Sabri, State-society relations and industrial sustainable growth: The case of post-Revolution Tunisia, in Sustainable Development, 2023, pp. 1-19. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/sd.2746 or https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2746

Dr. Mohamed Ismail Sabry is alumni of the IFG IV Resources and Sustainability and published the article “State-society relations and industrial sustainable growth: The case of post-Revolution Tunisia”, in the journal Sustainable Development.

This paper investigates the effect of state-society relations (SSR) in the industrial sector on the sustainable economic growth of post-Revolution Tunisia. The empirical part of the paper depends mainly on qualitative data collected from fieldwork interviews with the most important actors and publications of civil society organizations. The paper suggests the presence of state capture as the defining characteristic of SSR in post-Revolution Tunisia. The combination of having powerful tycoons, weaker state, and ineffectively organized social actors produced conditions that harmed sustainability. These settings allowed tycoons to violate environmental regulations and prevented Green innovation through the adoption of Green technologies. Yet, factors such as low value-added creation, increased labor-intensity, and low environmental awareness or prioritization all interact with state capture to lower sustainability. In those sectors where tycoons are active and dominant, competing social actors are incapable of effectively exploiting the presence of a freer political system, ultimately failing to successfully organize resisting coalitions, as evident in the textile sector. While higher resistance is witnessed where tycoons are not dominant as was the case in the phosphate sector, tycoons could still use the situation to their advantage.

For more information and to download the paper: Link1, Link 2

Why Ibn Khaldun is still relevant today?

Khaled Kchir (Prof. of Medieval History ; Faculty of Human and Social Sciences – University of Tunis / MECAM’s Director).

MECAM inaugurates a new phase in its commitment to promoting social science research in the Maghreb, the Mashreq, and beyond. We actively collaborate with researchers from diverse backgrounds who delve into a variety of subjects. One of our main goals is to enrich the ongoing debate on the Global South while highlighting the voices that have long been neglected in our region. This video, created with Professor Khaled Kchir, aims to unveil the significance of Ibn Khaldûn, whose influence, though profound, is often underestimated today.

As a Professor of Medieval History at the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of the University of Tunis, and one of the two directors of MECAM, Professor Kchir focuses on the in-depth study of Ibn Khaldûn’s work. The latter is frequently hailed as the pioneer of modern sociology due to his pivotal role in the study of local societies and their evolution. In this interview, Professor Kchir sheds light on Ibn Khaldûn’s substantial impact in the past, his current importance, and his relevance as a model for the future.

We delve into Ibn Khaldûn’s major contributions to our understanding of human societies and urbanization. We discover how this 14th-century scholar continues to influence contemporary research and how his methodology can provide a fresh and dynamic perspective on our present and future. This video is an invitation to explore Ibn Khaldûn’s intellectual legacy, which continues to illuminate our reflections on human societies and their complex dynamics.

Watch the video

 

Green banks in Tunisia: Issues and challenges

Nadia Mansour, Green banks in Tunisia: Issues and challenges in Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 7(2): 2099, 2023. doi: 10.24294/jipd.v7i2.

Mansour N (2023). Green banks in Tunisia: Issues and challenges. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 7(2): 2099. doi: 10.24294/jipd.v7i2.
We are happy to announce that IFG IV “Resources and Sustainability” alumnus Dr. Nadia Mansour has published the article “Green banks in Tunisia: Issues and challenges” in the Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development.
This paper explores the development of the concept of “green banks” in Tunisia, focusing on the role of regulators and the central bank in ensuring this transmission. The paper also examines the involvement of banks in the green economic transition and the various challenges.
For more information and to download the paper: [Download].

 

Come and Land in Algiers’:  Events of 22 October 1956 in International Law

Elizabeth Bishop, Come and Land in Algiers’:  Events of 22 October 1956 in International Law, AlNaciriya: Journal of sociological and historical Studies, Vol. 14 N° 1 June 2023, pp. 12 – 41.

We are thrilled to announce the release of a groundbreaking article by Dr. Elizabeth Bishop, an alumna of IFG V on Identities and Beliefs, entitled « Come and Land in Algiers’:  Events of 22 October 1956 in International Law ». On October 20, 1956, Prince Moulay Hassan of Morocco flew to Tétouan, bringing back five men to Rabat. Two days later, these men boarded a plane with plans to declare independence for an Algerian state. However, conflicting claims emerged regarding the legal aspects of their actions.

This thought-provoking article delves into the historical context and examines the complexities surrounding this event. By shedding light on various perspectives, it seeks to unravel the legal implications and spark meaningful discussions among scholars and history enthusiasts.

For more details, access the full article: [Download].

 

Coopération internationale : Centre de recherche MECAM

Julius Dihstelhoff,  Coopération internationale : Centre de recherche MECAM, in Joussour, Revue de l’Université de Tunis, Vol 1, Février 2023, pp. 34-38.

MECAM is pleased to announce the publication of the article entitled “Coopération internationale: Centre de recherche MECAM” in the journal of the University of Tunis Joussour.

The article discusses the role played by the University of Tunis in the co-creation of MECAM, introduces the research centre, and reviews the preliminary phase of the centre 2020-2023, before embarking on its main phase for the next six years.

For more information  [Download].

 

Rethinking Islamism beyond jihadi violence: Fighting ideas leaving the sword aside

Julius Dihstelhoff, German Approaches to the Muslim Brotherhood Between Domestic and Foreign Policy, in Elisa Orofino (ed.), Rethinking Islamism beyond jihadi violence: Fighting ideas leaving the sword aside, Vernon Press, 2023.

Dr. Julius Dihstelhoff, Academic Coordinator at the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM), participated with a chapter on “German Approaches to the Muslim Brotherhood Between Domestic and Foreign Policy” in the recently published edited volume by Vernon Press entitled “Rethinking Islamism beyond jihadi violence: Fighting ideas leaving the sword aside” edited by Elisa Orofino. In this chapter the history of Germany and the Muslim Bortherhood (MB) is analysed. Based on content analysis, central discourses of representatives of German politics as well as MB representatives are explored.

“The edited volume “Rethinking Islamism beyond jihadi violence” makes an important contribution to the scholarship on contemporary Islam and in particular the contested and often misunderstood issue of Islamism. Offering critical, nuanced and differentiated perspectives, the various chapters and the book as a whole examine the theological-historical origin and practices of non-violent Islamism, challenging common misconceptions that position it in (too) close proximity to jihadist violence.” Dr. Mario Peucker

For more information and to buy the book [ online ].

 

Tunesiens undemokratisches Wahlgesetz

Julius Dihstelhoff/ Mounir Mrad, Tunesiens undemokratisches Wahlgesetz, F.A.Z. Einspruch, 27.01.2023.

The article covers three key issues that contribute to the decline of parliamentarism: the electoral law, the draft constitution and the political opposition.

Explanations and examples are given to show why and to what extent the enormous restructuring of the electoral law contributes to the decline of parliamentarism. The article also analyses the new constitution, based on the draft constitution of Tunisian President Kais Saied, and discusses the restrictions on the legislature and the simultaneous expansion of the executive’s power. The political opposition is seen as an indirect actor contributing to the decline of parliamentarism, not least because of its lack of mobilising power.

F.A.Z. Einspruch is the daily offer of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung for lawyers and all those interested in the topics of justice and the law. At the interface between specialist newspaper and information medium. F.A.Z. Einspruch focuses on selected reports, commentaries and analyses from the F.A.Z. universe on current legal and tax topics, written by F.A.Z. editors and renowned columnists with legal expertise.

For more information and to read the essays online.

[Download].

IFG V:  Film Projects in the context of “Identities and Beliefs”

How does a social scientist, habituated to written communication, translate their ideas to a visual medium?

This was the challenge posed to the fellows of MECAM’s IFG V on “Identities and Beliefs”, when they participated in a methods school on documentary filmmaking in May 2022. Conceptualized and led by the incomparable Sarra Abidi, the workshop paired participating researchers up with an accomplished documentary filmmaker, who guided them in creating a short film based on their research. Working together, and often collaborating with others along the way, each pair navigated three distinct phases of filmmaking: conceptualization of the narrative, shooting on location, and post-production. The resulting films reflect a special alchemy, produced from the collaboration of creative minds with disparate working methods.A special thanks to filmmakers Sarra Abidi and Ahmed Jlassi for their hard work and brilliance as mentors.

Link: Film entitled “The UGEMA in Tunis” by Elizabeth Bishop

*The UGEMA in Tunis – a comment by Elizabeth Bishop*

As a historian, I’m used to communicating in texts of four or six thousand words with lots of footnotes. It seemed like a challenge to fit the kind of analysis I do best in five minutes of film, and I’m glad Alyssa Miller (postdoctoral research fellow at GIGA, and scientific coordinator for IFG V) posed it. Ahmed Jlassi and I used historical images from Algiers and Tunis, as well as footage we filmed in Tunis, to tell the story of how the French Fourth Republic excluded Algerians from higher education, and how in the Republic of Tunisia between 1955 and 1962 students of UGEMA built futures for themselves and their nation.

Fieldnotes from Bhar Lazreg: Research Methods from the Margins of Tunis

Shreya Parikh, an alumna of IFG V on Identities and Beliefs, has organized the publication of an essay series on Jadaliyya, introduced by an essay written by Parikh herself. The series showcases field observations made by student ethnographers at the École Nationale d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme (ENAU, National School of Architecture and Urbanism) in Sidi Bou Said, in the context of a methods workshop led by Parikh and Professor Cyrine Bouajila in March and April 2022.

The essays reflect the students’ ethnographic encounter with the fieldsite of Bhar Lazreg, an urban neighborhood located in close proximity to La Marsa (a desirable Northern suburb of Tunis), but which is commonly coded in contrast as “dangerous,” “disordered,” and inhabited by Sub-Saharan migrants (and therefore racially black). Seeking to overcome such negative and stigmatizing associations, the students approached Bhar Lazreg and its inhabitants as producers of knowledge in their own right. Setting forth without imposing a strict set of research questions from the outset, the resulting essays not only provide the reader insight on the lifeworlds of Bhar Lazreg, but they offer an honest glimpse of the ethnographic affects (of timidness, doubt, uncertainty) that researchers commonly experience in the early stages of field research, but rarely discuss.

For more information and to read the essays online.

The Post-Arab Spring Social Contract in Tunisia: Social Actors’ Comparative Gains and Losses

Mohamed Ismail Sabri, The Post-Arab Spring Social Contract in Tunisia: Social Actors’ Comparative Gains and Losses, October 26, 2022. https://ssrn.com/abstract=4259102 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4259102

Dr. Mohamed Ismail Sabry is alumni of the IFG IV Resources and Sustainability and published the working paper “The Post-Arab Spring Social Contract in Tunisia: Social Actors’ Comparative Gains and Losses”, which was presented at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in August 2022.

This paper is investigating what are the comparative gains/losses of the different considered social actors in Tunisia from the new post-2011 Social Contract (SC)? The SC is perceived as a product of the prevailing state-society relations and power relations between the main actors in the Tunisian industrial sector. These actors are identified as: the state, big businesspersons (tycoons), businesspeople of small and medium enterprises (entrepreneurs), and labor. The comparative gains/losses of these actors are investigated in terms of two broad contested policy fields: competition and social protection to workers.

For more information and to download the paper.

Eine neue Verfassung für Tunesien? Es droht ein autoritärer Drift!

Julius Dihstelhoff/Mounir Mrad, Eine neue Verfassung für Tunesien? Es droht ein autoritärer Drift!, F.A.Z. Einspruch, 18.07.2022.

This article analyses the draft constitution submitted by the President of the Tunisian Republic Kais Said to a referendum on 25 July 2022 with a focus on the separation of powers, rights and freedoms and the role of religion. Furthermore, the article compares the draft constitution with the vision promoted by Kais Said before his ascension to power, to determine the differences with this vision. The article concludes that the new constitution, which came into force on 25 July 2022, establishes a new political model for Tunisia that lays the framework for a return to an authoritarian presidential system. Although the constitution is presented as a panacea for all the country’s serious problems, this constitutional re-foundation of the state would not be sufficient to solve the country’s multiple crises. F.A.Z also spoke to Dr. Julius Dihstelhoff in its “Einspruch-podcast”.

F.A.Z. Einspruch is the daily offer of the German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung for lawyers and all those who are interested in topics concerning law and legislation. At the interface of specialist journal and news medium, F.A.Z. Einspruch focuses in terms of content on selected reports, commentaries and analyses from the world of F.A.Z. on current legal and tax topics, written by F.A.Z. editors and renowned columnists with legal expertise.

 

[Download].

Destination North Africa Syrians’ displacement trajectories to Tunisia

Dr. Ann-Christin Zuntz/Asma Ben Hadj Hassen/Marwen Bouneb/Dr. Joe Zuntz, Destination North Africa – Syrians’ displacement trajectories to Tunisia, Mixed Migration Centre, 2022.

Entanglements of the Maghreb: Cultural and Political Aspects of a Region in Motion

Julius Dihstelhoff/Charlotte Pardey/Rachid Ouaissa/FriederikePannewick (ed.), Entanglements of the Maghreb: Cultural and Political Aspects of a Region in Motion, Bielefeld: transcript, 2021.

The impulse for the recent transformations in the Arab world came from the Maghreb. Research on the region has been on the rise since, yet much remains to be done when it comes to interdisciplinary comparative research. The Maghreb is a heterogeneous region that deserves thorough investigation. This volume focuses on Entanglements as a cross-field and cross-lingual concept to generate a new approach to the region and its inner interdependencies as well as exchanges with other regions. Eminent researchers conceptualize Entanglements through the description of various thematic fields and actors in motion, addressing culture, politics, social affairs and economics.

Full book (open access)

Book Review on TRAFO – Blog for Transregional Research, 02.11.2021 [English version | French version].

English