Mutual Othering : Islam, Modernity, and the Politics of Cross-Cultural Encounters in Pre-Colonial Moroccan and European Travel Writing

For the first time, readings of Moroccan travel writing in Arabic are juxtaposed with French and British writing about Morocco in a critical exploration of nineteenth-century concepts of modernity. Ahmed Idrissi Alami investigates the complex dynamics concerning colonial expansion, military conflict, and societal values. Mutual Othering sets out to rethink generally accepted concepts of European modernity by critically examining its production and contestation within a subaltern context in which the native other--in this case, religious scholars or imams accompanying political missions to Paris and London--presents aspects of European culture to elite members of the Moroccan imperial court. This work also connects the arguments of these texts to the rethinking of tradition and modernity, the rhetoric of reform, democracy and the Arab state, and the compatibility of Islam with the West and secular values in the post-9/11 world. The inclusion of citations in the original French and Arabic, alongside English translations, allows a range of readers to enjoy this critical addition to the fields of literature, travel writing, North African studies, history, international relations, and philosophy, as well as cultural and religious studies. Mutual Othering: Islam, Modernity, and the Politics of Cross-Cultural Encounters in Pre-Colonial Moroccan and European Travel Writing Contents Acknowledgments Note on Transliteration and Translation Introduction Chapter 1: Literary Depictions of the Moor, Travel Writing, and the Maghreb Chapter 2: The Riḥla to Europe: Transcultural Islam and the Islamization of Modernity Chapter 3: Visions of Morocco and Its Premodernity in French Travel Writing Chapter 4: Slavery, Racism, and the Rhetoric of Modernity in British Travel Writing Chapter 5: Conclusions and Contemporary Debates Notes References Index Juxtaposes Moroccan Travellers' Writings About Europe With French And British Writings About Morocco To Explore Concepts Of Modernity. Introduction: Concepts Of Modernity -- Literary Depictions Of The Moor, Travel Writing And The Maghreb -- The Rihla To Europe: Transcultural Islam And The Islamization Of Modernity -- Visions Of Morocco And Its Pre-modernity In French Travel Writing -- Slavery, Racism And The Rhetoric Of Modernity In British Travel Writing -- Conclusions And Contemporary Debates. Ahmed Idrissi Alami. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.