Book Chapters by Anaïs Massot
Cahiers de la Méditerranée , 2022
In 1860, the Christian quarter of the city of Damascus was attacked. Houses were plundered and ma... more In 1860, the Christian quarter of the city of Damascus was attacked. Houses were plundered and many Christians lost their lives. This attack not only points to tensions between Christians and Muslims but also reveals underlying dynamics in the relationship between Christians and Jews in the city. Indeed, Jews were accused of participating or at least benefiting from the violence against Christians. The themes present in the accusations each reveals a specific aspect of the Damascene Jews’ social and economic positions and builds on a repertoire of Christian-Jewish relations in the previous decades. This paper will analyse the relationship between Christians and Jews in Damascus in the first part of the nineteenth century, considering it within the wider development of confessionalization and sectarianism.
Isi Press, 2022
«Patriarch Maksīmūs Maẓlūm’s Reverse Missionary Entreprise during the Tanzimat period: Bringing t... more «Patriarch Maksīmūs Maẓlūm’s Reverse Missionary Entreprise during the Tanzimat period: Bringing the Greek Catholics back into the Greek Rite», dans Latin Catholicism in Ottoman Istanbul, éds. Claudio Monge & Vanessa R. de Obaldía, Isis Press (Istanbul, 2022)
Minorités en Méditerranée au XIXe siècle – Valérie Assan, Bernard Heyberger et Jakob Vogel (dir.) ISBN 978-2-7535-7592-9 — Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2019, www.pur-editions.fr, 2019
Les réformes militaires et fiscales étaient au coeur des Tanzimat dans
l’Empire ottoman du xixe s... more Les réformes militaires et fiscales étaient au coeur des Tanzimat dans
l’Empire ottoman du xixe siècle. Dans la province de Damas diverses
révoltes éclatèrent contre ces transformations. L’application de ces mesures
aux non-musulmans faisait l’objet de longues négociations entre les représentants
de l’État, les chefs religieux, les membres des communautés locales
et des représentants étrangers. Les conflits au sujet de ces réformes ont mis
en lumière la division interne des communautés chrétiennes, en particulier
entre les classes socio-économiques et parmi les élites. Les chrétiens de
Damas négociaient simultanément leur relation à l’État et à l’institution du
millet. Les réformes des Tanzimat ont progressivement aboli les conditions
du contrat de la ḏimma, bouleversant l’équilibre établi entre les groupes
sociaux et remettant en question la légitimité de l’État. Dans ce contexte,
l’intensification de l’intervention étrangère en faveur des chrétiens de la
ville suscita l’impression d’un transfert de privilège plutôt que l’instauration
d’une égalité entre les citoyens. Finalement, la capacité des chrétiens à
éviter à la fois la conscription et les nouveaux impôts grâce à l’intervention
étrangère a amplifié les tensions interconfessionnelles. Ces dynamiques ont
joué un rôle majeur dans la violence de 1860 dans la ville.
The Damascus Christians in face to tax and military reforms
Conscription and taxation reforms were central to the Ottoman Tanzimat
of the 19th century. In the province of Damascus various revolts took place
against these transformations. The application of these measures to non-Muslims
was the subject of lengthy negotiations between state officials, religious leaders,
members of local communities and foreign representatives. The conflicts
regarding these reforms brought to light the internal division of the Christian
communities, especially between their socio-economic layers and among the
elites. Christians of Damascus simultaneously negotiated their relation to
the state and to the institution of the millet. The Tanzimat also progressively abolished the conditions of the ḏimma status, thus changing balance of power
between social groups and challenging the legitimacy of the state. In this context,
the intensification of foreign intervention in favour of Damascene Christians
gave the impression of a transfer of privilege rather than equality. Eventually,
the ability of Christians to avoid both conscription and new taxes as a result
of foreign intervention contributed to inter-confessional tensions and played a
major role in the violence of 1860 in the city.
In the nineteenth century Damascus was characterized by inter-confessional tensions that culminat... more In the nineteenth century Damascus was characterized by inter-confessional tensions that culminated in an attack, in 1860, against the Christian neighborhood of the city; many Christians lost their lives or property. Relations between religious groups in Damascus during the Tanzimat period were shaped both by local events and, during this period of foreign intervention and military defeats, by a variety of issues related to imperial sovereignty. This context led to a dichotomous image of the Ottoman city and its population: on the one side Christians were perceived to be allied with foreign powers—France, Russia, and to a lesser extent England—and on the other, Muslims were seen as loyal to the Ottoman authorities. Christians were also at the center of the power struggle between two authorities, the foreign consuls and the Ottoman governors, and this contributed to a politicization of religious distinctions. This struggle not only underlined conflicts over space and visibility but was also shaped by them. In this paper I first explore the political and social context of the Tanzi-mat and the ways in which public space was transformed into a tool for social change. Second, I examine the relation between the consuls and the governors, and address the issue of the struggle for sovereignty and its spatial dynamics. Finally, I look at the case of conversions as one arena in which these dynamics materialized.
Brill Publication upcoming
Paper presented at International Symposium: The Politics of Dress and Identity in Eastern Mediter... more Paper presented at International Symposium: The Politics of Dress and Identity in Eastern Mediterranean Societies, Past and Present, VU Amsterdan, Université de Salento, Allard Pierson Museum Amsterdam.
Publication upcoming (Brill 2018)
« Chrétiens et Juifs de Damas face aux réformes fiscales et militaires pendant les Tanzimat » colloque international Minorités en méditerranée au XIXe siècle : identité, identifications, circulations, Science Po, GSRL, EPHE, HaStec, Musée de l’histoire de l’immigration, CéSor, Ciera, IISMM. Publication upcoming, 2016
Communication au colloque international Minorités en méditerranée au XIXe siècle : identité, iden... more Communication au colloque international Minorités en méditerranée au XIXe siècle : identité, identifications, circulations, Science Po, GSRL, EPHE, HaStec, Musée de l’histoire de l’immigration, CéSor, Ciera, IISMM, Paris.
Book Reviews by Anaïs Massot
Kadim, 2023
In this well-documented and illustrated masterpiece, Olivier
Bouquet introduces the Ottoman worl... more In this well-documented and illustrated masterpiece, Olivier
Bouquet introduces the Ottoman world through the life of the
Grand Vizier Halil Hamid Pacha (1736-1785), a “dignitary navigating between the pole of desire and the principle of totality”.
After monographs on pashas and diplomats, Bouquet tackles the
highest kul (servant) of the Ottoman sultan, the Grand vizier, in
this new book.
Kadim , 2023
Review of: Bouquet, Olivier.
Vie et mort d’un grand vizier: Halil Hamid Pacha (1736-1785). Biog... more Review of: Bouquet, Olivier.
Vie et mort d’un grand vizier: Halil Hamid Pacha (1736-1785). Biographie de l’Empire ottoman. Les Belles Lettres, 2022.
The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 2022
Muslim-Christian relations in Damascus amid the 1860 riot. By Rana Abu-Mounes. (History of Christ... more Muslim-Christian relations in Damascus amid the 1860 riot. By Rana Abu-Mounes. (History of Christian-Muslim Relations, 46.) Pp. xii + 256 incl. 5 colour and black-and-white figs. Leiden–Boston: Brill, 2022. €104. 978 90 04 46495 7; 1570 7350
ASSR , 2023
Anaïs Massot
Archives de sciences sociales des religions Archives de sciences sociales des reli... more Anaïs Massot
Archives de sciences sociales des religions Archives de sciences sociales des religions 2022/4 (n° 200) 2022/4 (n° 200), pages 264 à 266
Éditions de l'EHESS
Syrian Studies Association Bulletin, 2018
Review of A History of Muslims, Christians and Jews in the Middle East by Heather Sharkey
Anais M... more Review of A History of Muslims, Christians and Jews in the Middle East by Heather Sharkey
Anais Massot
Abstract
Heather Sharkey's analysis of religion and interconfessional relations in the Middle East through the prism of cultural history
Talks by Anaïs Massot
Paper presented in the Seminar of Bernard Heyberger: "Anthropologie historique des chrétiens en I... more Paper presented in the Seminar of Bernard Heyberger: "Anthropologie historique des chrétiens en Islam", EHESS-IISMM, Paris.
Jean Sauvaget (1907-1953) was a French Orientalist archeologist and historian. Most of his resear... more Jean Sauvaget (1907-1953) was a French Orientalist archeologist and historian. Most of his research was conducted in Syria during the French mandate’s rule, where he contributed to shaping the mandate’s heritage and urban policies. Jean Sauvaget and the mandate’s High Commission both shared the same approach to the Syrian cities, considering them as decadent organisms that needed to be reformed. Sauvaget was instrumental in developing the Orientalist vision of the Islamic city’s urban order as inferior to the European one and as a degradation of the Greco-Roman urban order. He also considered the Syrians’ relation to their past as represented by heritage policies as inadequate and contributed to the colonial project of creating a past for the colonial subjects. While his ideas are often referred to when depicting Orientalist interpretations of ‘the Other’, there has not been any attempt to contextualize his work and place him in his own social setting and intellectual traditions.
I argue that his approach is based on culturally specific concepts that are embedded in the development of the French fields of urbanism, history and archeology in the beginning of the 20th century. His interpretation of Syrian cities is also linked to a particular conception of history born out of the French experience with modernity. Through this essay I will demonstrate how the production of architectural and archeological knowledge is influenced by normative cultural and intellectual concepts that shape the methods and approach within a field. Those concepts create a prism through which the Other is understood. I will look particularly at the concepts of order, heritage and history in Sauvaget’s work.
Papers by Anaïs Massot
The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Dec 29, 2022
par Brigitte Marino et Anaïs Massot [1] - Inaccessibles depuis cinq ans en raison de la guerre qu... more par Brigitte Marino et Anaïs Massot [1] - Inaccessibles depuis cinq ans en raison de la guerre qui sévit actuellement en Syrie, un grand nombre de sources ottomanes et mandataires conservées au Centre des archives de Damas sont désormais consultables au Centre de recherches sur l’Islam à Istanbul et ce, grâce à un accord de coopération conclu entre la Turquie et la Syrie avant la guerre. Du Centre des archives historiques (Markaz al-wathâ’iq al-târîkhiyya) à Damas… Entrée du Centre des arch..
Syrian Studies Association Bulletin, 2018
Heather Sharkey's analysis of religion and interconfessional relations in the Middle East thr... more Heather Sharkey's analysis of religion and interconfessional relations in the Middle East through the prism of cultural history
Modernity, Minority, and the Public Sphere: Jews and Christians in the Middle East, 2016
‘Communal conflicts’ in the mid-19th century Ottoman Arab provinces have often been considered as... more ‘Communal conflicts’ in the mid-19th century Ottoman Arab provinces have often been considered as set backs on the way to modernization, as outbursts of primordial inter-religious hatred demonstrating the pressing need for reforms and legitimizing the Ottoman Tanzimat. The need to reestablish order after violence has then been used to reinforce the state’s monopoly over power and the use of force. In order to question this modernizing discourse of the state, I will consider how Ottoman “modern” reforms contributed to inter-group conflicts through instituting a language of rights that came to regulate inter-group relation and identifications. How were Muslim and Christian identifications shaped by the Ottoman modernity? How was ‘communal space’ constructed through the inherent tension between equality and differentiation in the Ottoman process of ‘modernization’? I will look more specifically at reforms and conflicts over space in the first part of the 19th century culminating in the...
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Book Chapters by Anaïs Massot
l’Empire ottoman du xixe siècle. Dans la province de Damas diverses
révoltes éclatèrent contre ces transformations. L’application de ces mesures
aux non-musulmans faisait l’objet de longues négociations entre les représentants
de l’État, les chefs religieux, les membres des communautés locales
et des représentants étrangers. Les conflits au sujet de ces réformes ont mis
en lumière la division interne des communautés chrétiennes, en particulier
entre les classes socio-économiques et parmi les élites. Les chrétiens de
Damas négociaient simultanément leur relation à l’État et à l’institution du
millet. Les réformes des Tanzimat ont progressivement aboli les conditions
du contrat de la ḏimma, bouleversant l’équilibre établi entre les groupes
sociaux et remettant en question la légitimité de l’État. Dans ce contexte,
l’intensification de l’intervention étrangère en faveur des chrétiens de la
ville suscita l’impression d’un transfert de privilège plutôt que l’instauration
d’une égalité entre les citoyens. Finalement, la capacité des chrétiens à
éviter à la fois la conscription et les nouveaux impôts grâce à l’intervention
étrangère a amplifié les tensions interconfessionnelles. Ces dynamiques ont
joué un rôle majeur dans la violence de 1860 dans la ville.
The Damascus Christians in face to tax and military reforms
Conscription and taxation reforms were central to the Ottoman Tanzimat
of the 19th century. In the province of Damascus various revolts took place
against these transformations. The application of these measures to non-Muslims
was the subject of lengthy negotiations between state officials, religious leaders,
members of local communities and foreign representatives. The conflicts
regarding these reforms brought to light the internal division of the Christian
communities, especially between their socio-economic layers and among the
elites. Christians of Damascus simultaneously negotiated their relation to
the state and to the institution of the millet. The Tanzimat also progressively abolished the conditions of the ḏimma status, thus changing balance of power
between social groups and challenging the legitimacy of the state. In this context,
the intensification of foreign intervention in favour of Damascene Christians
gave the impression of a transfer of privilege rather than equality. Eventually,
the ability of Christians to avoid both conscription and new taxes as a result
of foreign intervention contributed to inter-confessional tensions and played a
major role in the violence of 1860 in the city.
Publication upcoming (Brill 2018)
Book Reviews by Anaïs Massot
Bouquet introduces the Ottoman world through the life of the
Grand Vizier Halil Hamid Pacha (1736-1785), a “dignitary navigating between the pole of desire and the principle of totality”.
After monographs on pashas and diplomats, Bouquet tackles the
highest kul (servant) of the Ottoman sultan, the Grand vizier, in
this new book.
Vie et mort d’un grand vizier: Halil Hamid Pacha (1736-1785). Biographie de l’Empire ottoman. Les Belles Lettres, 2022.
Archives de sciences sociales des religions Archives de sciences sociales des religions 2022/4 (n° 200) 2022/4 (n° 200), pages 264 à 266
Éditions de l'EHESS
Anais Massot
Abstract
Heather Sharkey's analysis of religion and interconfessional relations in the Middle East through the prism of cultural history
Talks by Anaïs Massot
I argue that his approach is based on culturally specific concepts that are embedded in the development of the French fields of urbanism, history and archeology in the beginning of the 20th century. His interpretation of Syrian cities is also linked to a particular conception of history born out of the French experience with modernity. Through this essay I will demonstrate how the production of architectural and archeological knowledge is influenced by normative cultural and intellectual concepts that shape the methods and approach within a field. Those concepts create a prism through which the Other is understood. I will look particularly at the concepts of order, heritage and history in Sauvaget’s work.
Papers by Anaïs Massot
l’Empire ottoman du xixe siècle. Dans la province de Damas diverses
révoltes éclatèrent contre ces transformations. L’application de ces mesures
aux non-musulmans faisait l’objet de longues négociations entre les représentants
de l’État, les chefs religieux, les membres des communautés locales
et des représentants étrangers. Les conflits au sujet de ces réformes ont mis
en lumière la division interne des communautés chrétiennes, en particulier
entre les classes socio-économiques et parmi les élites. Les chrétiens de
Damas négociaient simultanément leur relation à l’État et à l’institution du
millet. Les réformes des Tanzimat ont progressivement aboli les conditions
du contrat de la ḏimma, bouleversant l’équilibre établi entre les groupes
sociaux et remettant en question la légitimité de l’État. Dans ce contexte,
l’intensification de l’intervention étrangère en faveur des chrétiens de la
ville suscita l’impression d’un transfert de privilège plutôt que l’instauration
d’une égalité entre les citoyens. Finalement, la capacité des chrétiens à
éviter à la fois la conscription et les nouveaux impôts grâce à l’intervention
étrangère a amplifié les tensions interconfessionnelles. Ces dynamiques ont
joué un rôle majeur dans la violence de 1860 dans la ville.
The Damascus Christians in face to tax and military reforms
Conscription and taxation reforms were central to the Ottoman Tanzimat
of the 19th century. In the province of Damascus various revolts took place
against these transformations. The application of these measures to non-Muslims
was the subject of lengthy negotiations between state officials, religious leaders,
members of local communities and foreign representatives. The conflicts
regarding these reforms brought to light the internal division of the Christian
communities, especially between their socio-economic layers and among the
elites. Christians of Damascus simultaneously negotiated their relation to
the state and to the institution of the millet. The Tanzimat also progressively abolished the conditions of the ḏimma status, thus changing balance of power
between social groups and challenging the legitimacy of the state. In this context,
the intensification of foreign intervention in favour of Damascene Christians
gave the impression of a transfer of privilege rather than equality. Eventually,
the ability of Christians to avoid both conscription and new taxes as a result
of foreign intervention contributed to inter-confessional tensions and played a
major role in the violence of 1860 in the city.
Publication upcoming (Brill 2018)
Bouquet introduces the Ottoman world through the life of the
Grand Vizier Halil Hamid Pacha (1736-1785), a “dignitary navigating between the pole of desire and the principle of totality”.
After monographs on pashas and diplomats, Bouquet tackles the
highest kul (servant) of the Ottoman sultan, the Grand vizier, in
this new book.
Vie et mort d’un grand vizier: Halil Hamid Pacha (1736-1785). Biographie de l’Empire ottoman. Les Belles Lettres, 2022.
Archives de sciences sociales des religions Archives de sciences sociales des religions 2022/4 (n° 200) 2022/4 (n° 200), pages 264 à 266
Éditions de l'EHESS
Anais Massot
Abstract
Heather Sharkey's analysis of religion and interconfessional relations in the Middle East through the prism of cultural history
I argue that his approach is based on culturally specific concepts that are embedded in the development of the French fields of urbanism, history and archeology in the beginning of the 20th century. His interpretation of Syrian cities is also linked to a particular conception of history born out of the French experience with modernity. Through this essay I will demonstrate how the production of architectural and archeological knowledge is influenced by normative cultural and intellectual concepts that shape the methods and approach within a field. Those concepts create a prism through which the Other is understood. I will look particularly at the concepts of order, heritage and history in Sauvaget’s work.
Friday April 19th and Saturday April 20th
Friday April 19th and Saturday April 20th.
During this roundtable, three axes will be addressed:
First, we will explore the issue of the institutional construction of Christian communities. The new opportunities created by the Tanzimat reforms have challenged the internal hierarchies of these communities and created new tools for access to communal power. Moreover, the missionary presence created an opportunity to challenge and transform ecclesiastical power.
On the one hand, we will highlight the way in which the institutions of the churches have been transformed, and how they have tried to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the Ottoman government but also in the eyes of their followers.
On the other hand, we will discuss how the Orthodox clergy responded to the challenge of the birth of new Catholic churches. How did the Catholic and Orthodox branches build their respective identities and define their traditions in relation to one another?
Second, beyond the split between the Catholics and Orthodox, all the communities witnessed conflicts between their secular and clerical elements, but also at the level of ethnic affiliations and regional identifications. The question of the decision-making power in ecclesiastical elections and in the management of ecclesiastical property crystallized these internal divisions in the communities. This roundtable will explore these conflicts around elections, ecclesiastical property and community management.
We will explore the drafting of the constitutions for these communities at the imperial level. It will highlight the discussions, debates and tensions around the founding rules of communities and highlight the multiplicity of actors involved in this community building and institutionalization.
Finally, we will explore how these communities navigated the interaction between Ottoman political power and ecclesiastical authorities external to the empire. This overlapping of authorities has given rise to many sovereignty disputes. How did Ottoman Christians use these different authorities, what strategies did they put in place? How were these communities instrumentalized in these conflicts of sovereignty? How did they represent themselves in the face of the various political possibilities offered by the nineteenth century?
Anais Massot (Centre d'études en sciences sociales du religieux, CéSor) École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales)
The Greek Catholic community in Bilad al-Sham was transformed by the Ottoman Tanzimat reforms in the 19th century. It was institutionalized as a millet which led to a reconstruction of its hierarchies and power structure. This paper will focus on a specific aspect of this transformation: the increasingly challenged status of ecclesiastical property. The Greek Catholic Church, in line with Roman injunctions and the Ottoman administrative reforms, was encouraged to abandon the patrimonial conception of the Church and to adopt a strict separation between private and ecclesiastical property. This shift was most dramatic under the patriarchate of Maximos Mazlum (1833-1855) which this paper will explore. The process of disentangling these two types of properties was quite complex and led to various conflicts over the ownership of places of worship. It was a strong basis on which clerical authority was challenged, leading to a re-evaluation of the relationship between the laity and the clergy but also among the various institutions of the Church including the laity, the monastic orders and between the secular and regular clergy.
October 2018, Istanbul
Le statut de dhimmi, s'appliquant aux non-musulmans dans l’empire ottoman, fut progressivement aboli
par les Tanzimat Ottomanes au 19ème siècle. Cette transformation, source de débats intenses dans la
société civile, s’est articulée à différents niveaux, notamment dans le domaine juridique, administratif et
politique. Elle reformulait seulement la relation des non-musulmans à l'état ottoman mais aussi à leurs
propres autorités communautaires. La place des non-musulmans dans l’empire était renégociée dans un
contexte d’influence étrangère grandissante, plaçant la question de la loyauté au centre des
problématiques. La remise en cause de ce statut a révélé sa nature complexe et les conceptions
contradictoires de nombreux acteurs sociaux par rapport au sens de ce contrat social.
En se concentrant sur le contexte de la ville de Damas dans la première moitié du 19ème siècle, cette
communication explorera les réactions variées des Damascènes par rapport à cette abolition
progressive. Elle mettra en interaction la manière dont les juristes musulmans ont réinterprété la dhimma
dans le contexte des réformes Ottomanes et les conceptions de la nature de ce contrat au sein de la
société civile.
Conscription and taxation reforms were central to the Ottoman Tanzimat of the 19 th century. In the province of Damascus various revolts took place against these transformations. The application of these measures to non-Muslims was the subject of lengthy negotiations between state officials, religious leaders, members of local communities and foreign representatives. They were underlined by conflicting interpretations of the social contract on which to build the new Ottoman citizenship. The different communities were internally divided regarding these reforms, especially among socio-economic classes. Christians and Jews of Damascus negotiated simultaneously their relation to the state and to the institution of the millet. Eventually, the ability of Christians and Jews to avoid these two reforms as a result of foreign intervention contributed to inter-confessional tensions and even violence in the mid-19 th century. The reconstitution of these negotiations can improve our understanding of the various attempts at defining Ottoman citizenship during the Tanzimat.
Samedi 8 Juillet 2017
Atelier: Faire communauté dans une période de transition : conflits de loyauté,
stratégies politiques et nationalité(s) chez les juifs et chrétiens entre empire
ottoman et états-nation
Les changements de la gouvernance ottomane au 19ème et début du 20ème siècle et les nouvelles
opportunités présentées au juifs et chrétiens ottomans par l’intervention étrangère donne lieu à de nouvelles
manières de faire communauté, mais aussi à des divisions internes sur l’administration des communautés,
leur positionnement au sein de l’empire et leur relation avec les pouvoirs étrangers. De plus, la relation entre
l’individu et le groupe est remise en question. En conséquence, différents processus d’identification qui
peuvent être contradictoires sont à l’oeuvre. Dans certains cas, les discours de loyauté, d’identification avec
la nation ottomane priment ; dans d’autres, l’identité religieuse, régionale, ethnique ou linguistique est mise
en avant. Certaines identifications transgressent les frontières juridiques, fiscales et sociales et contribuent
à les retracer. A cet égard la question de la protection étrangère, collective ou individuelle, est au centre de
ces problématiques. Les technicités de la protection, son évolution dans le temps et l’espace méritent une
analyse comparée au sein des différentes provinces de l’empire. Après la chute de l’empire et la division
des territoires en états-nations, les influences se multiplient, entre une forme de persévérance des vestiges
structurels impériaux d’une part, et les nouveaux critères répondant aux besoins du système national, inspiré
par les puissances européennes. Si la notion de « minorité » pour désigner les populations non-musulmanes
principalement s’impose en raison de la pression exercée par ces puissances, les résistances au processus
de minorisation se multiplient, sous différentes formes et dans divers contextes. On assiste ainsi à une
hybridation du système et des représentations à l’égard des communautés non-musulmanes.
Éditions Fenêtres, maison d'édition spécialisée en sciences humaines et sociales, propose un prix de publication de mémoire de master pour un lauréat. Le mémoire sera publié par Éditions Fenêtres en 2025. Le lauréat sera choisi par l'équipe éditoriale ainsi que par un comité scientifique, les résultats seront annoncés en octobre 2024.
Produit pat: AARC (Algerian Agency for cultural outreach)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVhu4Dbvn0I
Monument de la littérature allemande, on connaît mal l’amour pudique que Goethe vouait à l’islam. Loin d’une quête de l’exotique ou du pittoresque, l’auteur a souhaité vivre cette culture dans sa chair. Il s’est donc efforcé, au fil des années, de s’en approcher au plus près, d’apprivoiser sa langue, de percer ses mystères. L’islam a imprégné sa vie la plus intime, jusqu’à sa communication amoureuse avec Marianne von Willemer.
Il y a dans ce livre plusieurs histoires d’amour, que Francesca Bocca-Aldaqre et Pietrangelo Buttafuoco délivrent avec poésie et mystère. Refusant de servir une biographie chronologique, ils nous guident sur un chemin sinueux, où le diable surgit à chaque carrefour. Entre la vie et la mort, la route forme une boucle émouvante : laissez-vous porter.