Vol. 14 No. 1 (2020): Francophone Literatures in Morocco Today

Edited by Annelies Schulte Nordholt and Emmanuelle Radar

Today's Moroccan francophone novel seems to be characterized by its focus on controversial issues. Rather than wisely holding its voice in the national cultural concert, this literature remains disconcerting: it willingly focuses on sensitive themes that have long remained taboo, such as sexuality, the Years of Lead, clandestine migration and, in general, the political and social shortcomings of contemporary Morocco. At the same time, today's Moroccan writers are working on a renewal of the imaginary and of literary forms. It is their own voice that this issue of Relief wishes to make heard. Myriam Alaoui, Mokhtar Chaoui, Youssouf Amine Elalamy, Fouad Laroui, Mohamed Nedali, Abdelhak Serhane, and Abdellah Taïa are all writers who are at the forefront of Moroccan literature today and whose works are studied here in their specificity. In addition, this issue offers three unpublished stories and a sociological essay on the challenges of publishing in Morocco.