The Maghreb in German academic research. representations, explorations and issues

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of German academic representations and research on the Ma-ghreb from the 18th century to today. Long marginalized in German academia and shaped by orientalist stereotypes—ranging from Barbary piracy to colonial exoticism—the Maghreb never developed as an autonomous field of study. Nonetheless, historical dynamics such as colonialism, independence movements, and especially the Algerian War have drawn significant scholarly attention, particularly from Marxist and Romance Studies circles. Algeria has often been at the center of German research, while Morocco and Tunisia were long viewed primarily through a touristic lens. Since the 1990s, the rise of political Islam, irregular migration, and the Arab Spring have reshaped academic priorities amid shifting geopolitical and security concerns. The article highlights the emergence of a new generation of scholars—many with Maghrebi roots—and the gradual institutionalization of Maghreb studies in Germany. It advocates for moving beyond orientalist and securitized frameworks towards interdisciplinary, critical, and context-sensitive approaches that better reflect the region’s social and political complexities. This reorientation is crucial to understanding the Maghreb as a key space in Euro-Mediterranean and African relations.