The School of Humanities and Social Sciences of UNAOC Research Network Partner Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco, in collaboration with Mimouna Club-Ifrane, is pleased to invite submissions for an interdisciplinary conference on the theme “Judeo-Moroccan Memory: An Intellectual, Cultural and Political Heritage.” The event will be held 2-3 December 2012 to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Simon Levy, Director of the Judeo-Moroccan Museum and Secretary General of the Foundation of Judeo-Moroccan Cultural Heritage. Born in Fez in 1934, Dr. Levy was, among many other things, Professor of Spanish at Mohamed V University, an active member of the Moroccan communist party and a leading authority on Morocco’s Jewish history and heritage. The primary purpose of the conference is to honor his memory by reflecting on the place of the Jewish community in the intellectual, cultural and political construction of Morocco. Another aim of the commemorative conference is to publish an edited volume in lasting memory of Simon Levy.
While the presence of Jews in Morocco goes back millennia, the forces of colonialism and the international context led to waves of emigration. Taking Dr. Levy’s life’s work as starting point, this conference seeks to explore the diversity of Jewish presence in the Moroccan historical, cultural, linguistic, artistic and political landscape and to relate Jewish histories to the construction of Morocco’s collective memory. Presentations on any aspect of Judeo-Moroccan material and intangible heritage, in Morocco as well as the diaspora, are welcome. Themes may include, but are not limited to:
- Social diversity
- Gender dimensions
- Collective memory
- The independence movement
- Politics and political engagement
- Migration and diaspora
- Religion and mysticism
- Language and linguistics
- Artistic expression and music
- Food and cuisine
- Architecture and urban space
The conference is being organized in collaboration with the Judeo-Moroccan Museum in Casablanca, where Simon Levy’s life and multifarious contributions will be honored, and will coincide with Al Akhawayn University’s fourth annual Moroccan Jewish Day. Scholars are invited to submit a 300-word abstract to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Al Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Morocco. Conference presentations should be 15-20 minutes in length. Pre-organized panels are welcome. Abstracts should be sent to A.Chekayri(at)aui.ma and D.Maghraoui(at)aui.ma no later than September 20th, 2012. The conference organizers will notify the presenters of their paper’s acceptance on October 5th, 2012.