Islamic empires and the politics of memory: The shaping of national identity in post-colonial North Africa (19th–21st centuries)

Project Abstract

This study investigates how Islamic imperial legacies and memory politics have shaped national identity formation in post-colonial North Africa from the 19th to the 21st centuries, focusing on Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya. By integrating political history, collective memory studies, and post-colonial theory, the research traces the persistence, contestation, and reinterpretation of imperial symbols, institutions, and narratives within state-building processes, social movements, and public discourse. The core argument is that memory of Islamic empires operates not as a uniform nostalgia but as a dynamic repertoire employed by actors to legitimize political authority, redefine citizenship, and negotiate sovereignty in the aftermath of colonial rule. The study employs a multi-scalar approach, examining macro-level state policies, meso-level religious and educational institutions, and micro-level community memories through archival research, discourse analysis of media and political rhetoric, and oral histories. It distinguishes between three memory regimes imperial legitimacy narratives that foreground continuity with historic caliphates and sultans to legitimize modern regimes; revolutionary and anti-imperial memory projects that valorize anti-colonial struggles and reformist critiques of traditional authority; and hybrid localizations that adapt imperial motifs to contemporary national dreams, regional autonomy, and transnational Islamic currents. The research also interrogates the tension between universalist Islamic ideals and particularist national histories, exploring how curriculum reforms, monuments, commemorations, and religious endowments have been mobilized to cultivate patriotism, moral order, and social cohesion, while also generating contestation, sectarian fault-lines, and political resistance. By analyzing state narratives alongside counter-memories from diaspora communities, Sufi orders, and Islamist movements, the study reveals how memory becomes a battleground for legitimacy, inclusion, and translational politics across borders. The methodology combines qualitative content analysis of archival documents, policy papers, speeches, and school curricula with field interviews conducted across urban and rural sites to capture diverse experiences of memory transmission. The research contributes to debates on post-colonial nation-building, the politics of memory, and the longue durée of imperial influence in North Africa, offering nuanced insights into how historical empires continue to shape contemporary policies on education, heritage, religion, and identity. Findings indicate that memory of Islamic empires remains a potent resource for statecraft and communal solidarity but also a catalyst for contestation when national projects confront demands for reform, inclusion of minority voices, and regional autonomy. The study concludes with implications for understanding the resilience and malleability of historical memory in shaping inclusive national identities in post-colonial contexts and provides a framework for comparing memory-politics across other regions with imperial legacies.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

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The project explores how historical empires and their memories have shaped modern national identities in North Africa from the 19th to the 21st century. It looks at how official histories, monuments, and education reflect and influence present-day politics and social belonging in countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, focusing on the legacy of empire, colonial transitions, and post-colonial nation-building.

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The Problem It Addresses

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Many post-colonial North African states still rely on contested memories of empires to legitimize political authority and national narratives. There is a gap in comparing how different states selectively remember or reinterpret the past and how ordinary people engage with these memories in daily life and policy. This matters for understanding identity, legitimacy, and regional cooperation or conflict.

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Objectives of the Project

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1. Identify key memory practices linked to historical Islamic empires in the region.
2. Analyse how official histories influence national identity and political discourse.
3. Compare memory narratives across at least three North African states.
4. Assess the role of education, media, and monuments in shaping memory.
5. Develop a framework to evaluate memory-making processes in post-colonial contexts.

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What You Will Do Step by Step

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1. Review existing literature on empire memory and post-colonial identity.
2. Collect diverse sources: textbooks, speeches, media, and public monuments.
3. Conduct a comparative case study of selected cities and institutions.
4. Analyze how memories are constructed and contested.
5. Present findings with clear examples and visuals.

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Expected Outcome

A clear comparative analysis showing how empire memory shapes national identity, with recommendations for scholars and policymakers on recognizing memory dynamics in nation-building.