Discussions of the unsettled political and social landscapes in the Middle East and North Africa frequently point to Morocco as an exception. An Arab League member-state, Morocco enjoys a favorable image in the West, seemingly combining a healthy and balanced mix of tradition and modernity, authenticity with openness to foreign cultures, political stability and evolution towards greater pluralism, and a marked improvement in the legal and social status of women.

This book offers a comprehensive and detailed scholarly examination of Morocco's political, social and cultural evolution under King Mohammed VI. Contributions from an international lineup of experts on Moroccan history, politics, economy, society and culture explain the tension and dynamics between the state authorities and competing social actors, and highlight the durability of the monarchical institution while also pointing to the continued challenges it faces from a variety of directions. The analysis touches on a number of issues, notably youth, and women and religious reform to investigate how the country has become significantly more open and less repressive, and how any unrest Morocco experienced during the recent ‘Arab Spring’ has been controlled.

Employing various disciplines and theoretical perspectives, the result is an analytically rich portrayal which sheds important light on the country's prospects and the challenges it confronts in an era of steadily accelerating globalization. As such, it will be of interest to students and scholars who focus on modern Morocco, North Africa and the Middle East, as well as researchers in the fields of Comparative Politics and International Relations.

Contents

Introduction Part I: The State and the Political System 1. New Wine in Old Bottles: Political Parties under Mohammed VI James N. Sater 2. The Monarchy and Islamism in Morocco: Ritualization of the Public Discourse Mohamed Daadaoui 3. The Second Coming of Morocco's "Commande Faithful": Mohammed VI and Morocco's Religious Policy Abdelilah Bouasria 4. The Amazigh Renaissance: Tamazight in the Time of Mohammed VI Mohammed Errihani 5. Mohammed VI and Moroccan Foreign Policy Daniel Zisenwine 6. Morocco's Economy under Mohammed VI Paul Rivlin Part II: Civil Society and Informal Politics 7. The Emergence of the "New Press" and the Delimitation of Free Speech in Morocco under Mohammed VI Moshe Gershovich 8. The Amazigh Factor: State-Movement Relations under Mohammed VI Bruce Maddy-Weitzman 9. The Emerging Power of Civil Society? The Human Rights Discourse Franceso Cavatorta and Emanuela Dalmasso 10. Feminism, Islamism, and a Third Way Doris H. Gray 11. Feet on the Earth, Head in the Clouds: What do Moroccan Youths Dream of? Samir Benlayashi 12. Youth, Political Activism, and the Festivalization of Hip-Hop Music in Morocco Aomar Boum

Author Bio

Bruce Maddy-Weitzman is a Principal Research Fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and Afr...