Scientific event

Algeria and Africa: Yesterday and Today

Algeria is an African land. Beyond the shifts and contingencies of politics, Algeria has never ceased searching for ways and means to develop its relations with the rest of the African nations, particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa.

These relations are not a recent development; they date back to the dawn of history. Over time, they evolved as the Sahara became a crossroads. Caravans, travelers, and scholars descended from the Maghreb toward Africa. For several centuries, the resulting movement of goods and people played a major role in the Islamization of West Africa. It is thanks to this flow that new ties were woven. Religious brotherhoods found fertile ground on African soil, and ulamas (scholars) such as El Maghili and Cheikh El Kounti left their mark on a generation of learned men. This deep-seated layer of Islamization and knowledge exchange was so strong that it could not be undermined by colonization, despite the efforts of forced deculturation.

Furthermore, when the hour of awakening for colonized nations struck, Algeria and most African countries found themselves united in the same liberation struggle. The revolutionary momentum that drove an entire generation through wars of liberation unified their ranks during the post-independence period. However, with the end of the bipolar world order and the triumph of the neoliberal wave, the foundation upon which nation-states planned to build the future of their populations began to crack. This obstacle worsened the fragility of African society, which became exposed to numerous plagues. Famine, epidemics, ethnic strife, civil war, and terrorism became the common lot of suffering for Africans. In this whirlwind of violence, Algeria was by no means spared. For a decade, it fought against Islamist terrorism.

In this African era—a time mixed with uncertainty and hope—Algeria has never turned its back on Africa. Faithful to its African memory and its historical commitments, and conscious of its strategic depth within the continent, it has undertaken a bold policy since the early 2000s that has made it a major player on the African stage. Sharing the same security approach as the Sahel countries in particular, it initiated the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in concert with South Africa and Nigeria.

More than a decade later, the results are mixed. While a number of actions are credited to Algeria, other fields remain fallow. This is particularly true in the realm of scientific education and research, where bridges must be built between universities, research centers, and the scientific community. It goes without saying that this path appears to be a prerequisite for ensuring synergy between all the vital forces of African countries. In this regard, it is worth mentioning several promising initiatives, such as the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA). The same applies to the Center for Research in Social and Cultural Anthropology (CRASC), whose research missions include scientific investigation into the field of African realities.

To serve as a positive example, these two institutions have collaborated closely for several years. The Africa Review of Books (ARB), published in partnership with CODESRIA—with the French edition coordinated by CRASC—is a first milestone in building sustained cooperation between African researchers. Even though this is a primary initiative, CRASC does not intend to stop there. It aims to invest in other areas of African activity to meet the concerns of national authorities and populations regarding the development of social sciences.

The first issue of the Africa Review of Books (ARB) was published in 2004. The journal has 26 issues to date.

Mansour KEDIDIR / CRASC