Tracing the Evolution of Postcolonial Algerian Masculinities : A Critical Analysis of Masculine Identities in Francophone Algerian Texts

Boubakir, Yasmine and Baker, Charlotte (2024) Tracing the Evolution of Postcolonial Algerian Masculinities : A Critical Analysis of Masculine Identities in Francophone Algerian Texts. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

The study of masculinities has gained significant scholarly attention in recent years, highlighting the need for comprehensive investigations into how masculinity is constructed, performed, and understood within specific cultural contexts. In this respect, the subsequent thesis explores the complex and evolving nature of Algerian masculinities, their influence on contemporary society and how they are examined and shaped in Algerian francophone novels. The research is grounded in written literary texts and existing theoretical scholarship, focusing on the historical dynamics of Algerian hegemonic masculinities and their contextual transformations. By employing a diachronic methodology, this study analyses the impact of colonial history on the perception and performance of masculinities within the Algerian collective. Subsequently, the research focuses on identifying and analysing these masculine profiles within Algerian francophone novels. Specific emphasis is placed on texts that feature men within contextual frameworks such as the post-independence national myth and the nation’s colonial history and legacies. The selected texts are arranged chronologically to construct more intricate and comprehensive profiles of masculine identities. The initial phase of the research involves developing theoretical frameworks that encompass different manifestations of masculinity(-ies) during the chosen timeframe. As there is a lack of established profiles concerning Algerian men's masculinities, the study engages with the existing scholarly discourse on masculinities, examining how the colonial legacy influences the perception and enactment of hegemonic masculinities. This investigation considers contextual historical and socio-political transformations experienced by the nation as a whole, as well as individual experiences, struggles and reflections (mainly through the masculinist performance of literary protagonists). This thesis contributes to a wider understanding of postcolonial Algerian masculinities, by deconstructing the intricate impact of colonialism on the myth of national identity and the formulation of collective and individual masculinities. By critically exploring francophone Algerian texts, this research provides a nuanced understanding of the intersection of gender, culture, and politics in Algeria with a focus on the hauntology of the colonial experience.