Maghrib

doi:10.1017/9781009748810.011

9 - Maghrib

from Part III - Where? The Geography of Modern Arabic Literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 July 2026

Samia Kassab-Charfi

Edited by

Michael Allan and

Zeina G. Halabi

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Michael Allan: Affiliation:
University of Oregon
Zeina G. Halabi: Affiliation:
Orient Institute Beirut

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Summary

This chapter re-examines the concept of Maghrib literature, moving beyond the reductive binary that equates it solely with Francophone output. It underscores the Maghrib’s diverse heritage – Berber, Arab, African, Ottoman, and European – and its rich multilingual literary traditions through historical, linguistic, and literary analysis. Béchir Khraïef’s novel Barg Ellil (Barq al-Layl) (1960) serves as a central example, showcasing a creolized poetics rooted in Tunisia’s deep historical and regional connections. The novel embodies Édouard Glissant’s “poetics of relation” through its multilingualism, hybrid characters, and themes of displacement and resistance. The chapter critiques the marginalization of Arabic-language literature in favor of French-language texts, advocating for a comparative, inclusive approach that acknowledges the Maghrib’s linguistic and cultural complexity. Ultimately, it argues that Maghrib literature is defined not just by language or geography, but by its capacity to reflect and reimagine the region’s layered identities.

Keywords

Maghrib multilingualism Béchir Khraïef creolization Arabic literature

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Type: Chapter
Information: The Cambridge Companion to Modern Arabic Literature , pp. 141 - 156

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009748810.011 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2026

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References

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