-Z-: Flamingos, francophonie, and the arts of urban dissent in Tunisia

Said, Rania

Journal of Romance Studies (2017), 17, (2), 215–234.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3828/jrs.2017.16
Language: English
Pages: 20

Abstract

This article studies the environmentally conscious caricatures of the anonymous francophone Tunisian architect -Z-, as featured in his blog DEBATunisie. More particularly, it focuses on -Z-’s fervent criticism of Emirati real estate investments in Tunisia in the early 2000s. The article argues that -Z-’s caricatures expose us to a new phase of neoliberal practices in Tunisia in which nefarious megaprojects are no longer part of a colonial enterprise, but rather an essential feature of the rise of Gulf monarchies into global financial dominance. It also argues that the artist mobilizes a visual ecopoetics and uses the figure of the flamingo to disturb the logic of development advanced by Emirati developers and Tunisia’s ruling elite. Finally, the article explores the political power of producing satire in French in Tunisia today by examining the ways in which the perceived elitism of the French language can be counteracted by the accessibility of digital art.

FormatArticle

£25.00

READ THIS ARTICLE

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Abu-Lughod, Janet (1987) ‘The Islamic city: Historic myth, Islamic essence, and contemporary relevance’, International Journal of Middle East Studies 19: 155–176. The Islamic city: Historic myth, Islamic essence, and contemporary relevance International Journal of Middle East Studies 19 155 176 Google Scholar

Barthel, Pierre-Arnaud (2014) ‘Global waterfronts in the Maghreb: A mere replication of Dubai? Case studies from Morocco and Tunisia’, in Under Construction: Logics of Urbanism in the Gulf Region, ed. Steffen Wippel, Katrin Bomber, Christian Steiner, and Brigit Krawietz (Abingdon: Ashgate), 247–258. Global waterfronts in the Maghreb: A mere replication of Dubai? Case studies from Morocco and Tunisia Under Construction: Logics of Urbanism in the Gulf Region 247 258 Google Scholar

Ben Bouazza, Bouazza (2008) ‘Tunisie: Lancement d’un mèga-project’, Aujourd’hui, 16 September. http://aujourdhui.ma/economie/tunisie-lancement-dun-mega-projet-58896 (accessed 2 November 2017). Google Scholar

Ben Brik, Taoufik (2013) ‘-Z-: un cyberdissident qui lutte par l’image et le texte’, Humanité, 29 October. http://www.humanite.fr/z-un-cyber-dissident-qui-lutte-par-limage-et-le-te-552161 (accessed 9 November 2016). Google Scholar

Bouriel, Hatem (2013) ‘Notre perte du français a fait le lit de l’intégrisme’, Webdo, 17 December. http://www.webdo.tn/2013/12/17/le-billet-de-hatem-bourial-notre-perte-du-francais-a-fait-le-lit-de-lintegrisme/ (accessed 9 November 2016). Google Scholar

Cherif, Yousef (2017) ‘Tunisia’s fledgling Gulf relations’, Carnegie Middle East Center, 17 January. http://carnegieendowment.org/sada/67703 (accessed 1 March 2017). Google Scholar

Daoud, Mohamed (2007) ‘The language situation in Tunisia’, in Language Planning and Policy in Africa Vol.2: Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Tunisia, ed. Richard B. Baldauf and Robert B. Kaplan (Clevedon: Multilingual Matters), 256–307. The language situation in Tunisia Language Planning and Policy in Africa Vol.2: Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Tunisia 256 307 Google Scholar

Daoud, Mohamed (2011) ‘The sociolinguistic situation of Tunisia: Language rivalry or accommodation?’, International Journal of the Sociology of Language 211: 9–33. The sociolinguistic situation of Tunisia: Language rivalry or accommodation? International Journal of the Sociology of Language 211 9 33 Google Scholar

Davis, Mike (2007) ‘Sand, fear, and money in Dubai’, in Evil Paradises: Dreamworlds of Neoliberalism, ed. Mike Davis and Daniel Bertrand Monk (New York: The New Press), 48–68. Sand, fear, and money in Dubai Evil Paradises: Dreamworlds of Neoliberalism 48 68 Google Scholar

Dhamen.net (n.d.) ‘Tunisia: inward and outward FDI’. http://dhaman.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Tunisia.pdf (accessed 9 November 2016). Google Scholar

Hoffman, Lisa, Monica DeHart, and Steven J. Collier (2006) ‘Notes on the anthropology of neoliberalism’, Anthropology News 47: 9–10. Notes on the anthropology of neoliberalism 47 9 10 Google Scholar

Hunt, Patrick (2009) ‘The locus of Carthage: Compounding geographical logic’, African Archaeological Review 26: 137–154. The locus of Carthage: Compounding geographical logic African Archaeological Review 26 137 154 Google Scholar

Kallander, Amy Aisen (2013) ‘“Friends of Tunisia”: French economic and diplomatic support of Tunisian authoritarianism’, in The Making of the Tunisian Revolution: Contexts, Architects, Prospects, ed. Nouri Gana (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), 103–123. “Friends of Tunisia”: French economic and diplomatic support of Tunisian authoritarianism The Making of the Tunisian Revolution: Contexts, Architects, Prospects 103 123 Google Scholar

Kanna, Ahmed (2011) Dubai: The City as Corporation (Minneapolis: Minnesota University Press). Dubai: The City as Corporation Google Scholar

Kausch, Kristina (2013) ‘Foreign funding in post-revolution Tunisia’, Fride, 7 May. http://fride.org/download/WP_Tunisia.pdf (accessed 9 November 2016). Google Scholar

King, Stephen (2009) The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa (Bloomington: Indiana University Press). The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa Google Scholar

Koolhas, Rem (2007) ‘Last chance?’, Archis 2. http://volumeproject.org/last-chance/ (accessed 9 November 2016). Google Scholar

Murphy, Emma C. (2013) ‘Under the emperor’s neoliberal clothes! Why the international financial institutions got it wrong in Tunisia’, in The Making of the Tunisian Revolution: Contexts, Architects, Prospects, ed. Nouri Gana (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), 35–57. Under the emperor’s neoliberal clothes! Why the international financial institutions got it wrong in Tunisia The Making of the Tunisian Revolution: Contexts, Architects, Prospects 35 57 Google Scholar

Saudi Press Agency (2008) ‘Tunisia approves master plan for $25 billion Mediterranean Gate Project’, 16 September. http://www.spa.gov.sa/viewstory.php?lang=en&newsid=590597 (accessed 9 November 2016). Google Scholar

Sayahi, Lotfi (2014) Diglossia and Language Contact: Language Variation and Change in North Africa (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). Diglossia and Language Contact: Language Variation and Change in North Africa Google Scholar

Sharp, Deen (2013) ‘Street life: Rebels, rulers, and the right to the city’, Arab Studies Journal XXI: 279–287. Street life: Rebels, rulers, and the right to the city Arab Studies Journal XXI 279 287 Google Scholar

Spanos, William (2013) ‘Arab Spring, 2011’, Symplokē 20: 83–119. Arab Spring, 2011 Symplokē 20 83 119 Google Scholar

-Z- (2011) Révolution! Des années mauves à la fuite de Carthage (Tunis: Cérès Editions). Révolution! Des années mauves à la fuite de Carthage Google Scholar

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Details

Author details

Said, Rania

Journal of Romance Studies