A detailed study of the culture of southern Morocco (Souss region) in the writings of Mokhtar Soussi
Amatou Allah Mesbah Her Anthropology research will focus on microhistory of Souss region in Morocco through the work of Al Mokhtar Soussi. Looking forward to put qualitative methods I have learnt at FGSES into practice. Zineb Yadane Unveiling Societal Transitions: A Micro-Historical Anthropology of Cultural Practices in Contemporary Morocco (Rissani, Errachidia Province The research proposes to use a micro-historical anthropological lens to explore Morocco’s socio-cultural transitions by examining seemingly insignificant cultural practices and social interactions as crucial clues to understanding larger, often hidden, structures and transformations within the “postcolony”. Informed by the “Evidentiary Paradigm” of Carlo Ginzburg and the postcolonial theories of Achille Mbembe , the project’s core goal is to provide a bottom-up understanding of how cultural practices, social structures, and historical events collectively shape contemporary Moroccan society. Doctoral Student Profiles
2025/2026
The study will focus its ethnographic fieldwork and micro-historical analysis on the Tafilalet region, specifically utilizing Rissani as a detailed case study to capture local dynamics and historical depth. The research aims to contribute to global anthropological and postcolonial discourses by documenting micro-historical narratives, examining the interdependence between tradition and modernity , and analyzing the enduring impact of historical events, while actively challenging grand, often Western-centric, narratives.