Francis Ghilès | openDemocracy

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North African diversities: Morocco

Francis Ghilès 31 October 2012

The evolution of Morocco under its monarchy makes it in many ways an exception to political trends elsewhere in the Maghreb, let alone the wider Arab world. In the latest of his series mixing personal reflection and political analysis, Francis Ghilès reflects on his years of reporting the country and interrogating its circles of power.

North African diversities: an Algerian odyssey

Francis Ghilès 10 July 2012

Algeria wrested independence from France in 1962 after a bitter and extremely violent eight-year struggle. The legacy has continued to shadow its efforts to create a workable model of development and a humane life for its citizens. Francis Ghilès invokes a wealth of memory from his years reporting Algeria - in particular, a pivotal few months in 1991 - to reflect on a compelling country's troubled half-century.

North African diversities: a Tunisian odyssey

Francis Ghilès 22 May 2012

Tunisia's modern history, from the late French colonial period to the rule of two long-term presidents, has been a constant presence in the life of the journalist Francis Ghilès. Here he reflects on how this experience - familial, social, professional - has over six decades shaped his understanding of Tunisia's complexities.

North African diversities: a personal odyssey

Francis Ghilès 23 May 2011

The era of European colonial rule in the Maghreb was one of great plurality and intermingling of cultures as well as of power and violence. Several of these currents flow through the life of the respected journalist and scholar Francis Ghilès. Here, he draws on a remarkable familial and professional journey to reflect on the experience of Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco since the 1950s, and asks whether Europe can meet the test of a new era in the region.

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