Rachid Taha and the Sway of Chaabi & Raï on Franco-Arab Rock
This month, TMR's music critic, Melissa Chemam, stumbles upon an unexpected exhibit of the history and influence of raï, chaabi and "Beur" politics on the French body politic.
Algeria
Why COMIX? An Emerging Medium of Writing the Middle East and North Africa
TMR’s guest editor Aomar Boum admires the growing movement of political cartooning in North Africa and the Middle East.
Rebellion Resurrected: The Will of Youth Against History
The Lebanese cartoonist and BD historian George “Jad” Khoury gives an in-depth overview of contemporary comix across the Arab world.
Beginnings, the Life & Times of “Slim” aka Menouar Merabtene
Algeria’s leading cartoonist reminisces on his start in bandes dessinées in Algeria, Poland and France.
The Excellent Journey of Algerian Cartoonist Nadjib Berber
For 20 years, Algeria was the preeminent country of comics in the Maghreb and Middle East. Nadjib Berber shares some of his story.
Summer of ‘21 Reading—Notes from the Editors
Our editors reveal their diverse literary interests, with more than a dozen recommendations for summer reading.
“I was a French Muslim: Memories of an Algerian Freedom Fighter”
Mischa Geracoulis reviews the forthcoming memoir from Algerian freedom fighter Mokhtar Mokhtefi.
Being Jewish and Muslim Together: Remembering Our Legacy
Joyce Zonana reviews two recent titles that reveal Jewish-Muslim connections and communities of the Arab world.
Faïza Guène’s Fight for French Respectability
Melissa Chemam considers the sixth novel by France's former teen sensation Faïza Guène and whether she is now part of the literary canon.
Algiers, Algeria in the novel “Our Riches”
Kaouther Adimi's historical novel departs from a famous Algerian bookstore with a connection to Albert Camus and opens a window onto Algerian independence, French colonialism and the literary voices coming out of the Maghreb.
Algiers, the Black Panthers & the Revolution
While Elaine Mokhtefi worked devotedly for the Black Panthers, the men who ran it were, it turned out, deeply flawed.
In a Suspicious World, Creative Arabs, Iranians Having a Banner Year
Arabs/Muslims and Iranians have become the scapegoats and villains du jour, yet many are thriving creatively.