Saharanism and the Reshaping of Moroccan Identity Through Literature

The increasing movement of people from sub-Saharan Africa into Morocco has spurred a significant shift in the country’s literary landscape, prompting recent discussions about identity, politics, and prejudice. This “sub-Saharan turn” in Moroccan literature is being explored through the work of Brahim El Guabli, an associate professor of comparative thought and literature at Johns Hopkins University, and his concept of “saharanism.”

The Sub-Saharan Turn in Moroccan Literature

El Guabli’s research, initially presented in his essay “The Sub-Saharan Turn in Moroccan Literature” published in the Spring 2021 issue of Middle East Report, examines how migration patterns over the last three decades have influenced Moroccan politics and identity. He analyzes these changes as reflected in contemporary Moroccan novels.

His work delves into the complexities of race and prejudice within Moroccan society as it adapts to its evolving demographic makeup. El Guabli’s scholarship contributes to a growing body of research examining the intersection of migration, identity, and cultural production in North Africa.

The Concept of Saharanism

El Guabli discussed his concept of “saharanism” in a February 13, 2026 interview with James Ryan, Executive Director of the Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP). This concept is further explored in his forthcoming book, Desert Imaginations: A History of Saharanism and Its Radical Consequences, scheduled for release by the University of California Press in November 2025.

Brahim El Guabli is a Black, Amazigh Indigenous scholar from Morocco. His research builds upon existing scholarship, including works by Abdel Rahman Munif (Cities of Salt, 1989), Ghislaine Lydon (On Trans-Saharan Trails, 2009), and Shamil Jeppe (Writing Timbuktu, 2026).

Further Reading

• Brahim El Guabli, “The Sub-Saharan Turn in Moroccan Literature” Middle East Report Issue 298 (Spring 2021)
• Brahim El Guabli, Desert Imaginations: A History of Saharanism and Its Radical Consequences (Berkeley, University of California Press, 2025)
• Brahim El Guabli, “Forgettable Black and Amazigh Bodies: Boujemâa Hebaz and the Moroccan Racial Politics of Amnesia” Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East 44(2) (2024): 303-316
• Brahim El Guabli, “The Idea of Tamazgha: Current Articulations and Scholarly Potential” Tamazgha Studies Journal Vol 1. Issue 1. (Fall 2023), 7-22