Nostalgic Rebels: Politics, Aesthetics, and Selfhood in Postcolonial Morocco | Dr. Khalid Lyamlahy

Description

We delve into the complex intersection of revolt and nostalgia in postcolonial Moroccan literature with author and scholar Khaled Lyamlahy who offers specific, evidence-based insights into the diverse trajectories of three influential writers, Abdellatif Laâbi, Abdelkebir Khatibi, and Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine, and discusses how their unique experiences with activism, imprisonment, and exile shaped their work. An assistant professor at the University of Chicago, Dr. Lyamlahy helps us explore his latest book, Nostalgic Rebels, which complicates traditional narratives of Moroccan postcoloniality. He emphasizes that nostalgia is not merely a backward-looking emotion but a transformative force capable of reinventing the future. He confronts the notion that these literary movements are static, asserting that writing has a deep responsibility to provoke thought and ask difficult questions. The conversation also delves into the unique challenges of translation and the poetic power of fragments, highlighting the need for deeper literary dialogue between North and Sub-Saharan Africa. 0:00 Introduction 1:38 Origins and Evolution of "Nostalgic Rebels" 4:56 Defining Revolt Beyond Politics 10:21 Complicating Nostalgia in Postcolonial Studies 13:58 Mapping Authors as Trajectories 19:36 Prison, Travel, and Wandering, the Three Experiences of Exile 23:33 Translation as a Mode of Thinking 35:14 The Power of Fragments and Silences 41:19 The Intersection of Poetics and Politics in Writing 46:32 Future Projects Khalid Lyamlahy is assistant professor of French and Francophone Studies at the University of Chicago where he teaches francophone North African literature. He is the author of Nostalgic Rebels: Politics, Aesthetics, and Selfhood in Postcolonial Morocco (Liverpool University Press, 2025). Connect with Khalid Lyamlahy 👉 https://instagram.com/khalid_lyamlahy Hosted by Amine Bit 👉 https://instagram.com/amine.bit Amine Bit is a Columbia University graduate of Comparative Literature and Society, who served as the Events Edito