Papers by Saloua Zerhouni
The existing literature on youth participation shows that there is a noticeable tendency of weak ... more The existing literature on youth participation shows that there is a noticeable tendency of weak participation in formal politics among Moroccan youth. However, it does not tell us much about the alternative modes of youth engagement. During the past two decades, youth have been expressing their positions and views by occupying new spaces outside the formal sphere. They participate in marches, organize sit-ins and post their ideas on blogs. In other words, the youth "do politics in a different way," not mainly through the formal modes of political participation. This paper will first shed some light on the existing spaces of formal and informal political participation. Then, it will explore how the contextual realities shape the perceptions and meanings of the experience of "being young." The third section will analyse how the youth engage in politics and the factors that promote or inhibit their participation. Finally, the paper will discuss youth agency and transformative impact on society, specifically in relation to policies that are affecting them directly.
Based on both recent statistics from a national survey and qualitative interviews, the paper anal... more Based on both recent statistics from a national survey and qualitative interviews, the paper analyses the level and modalities of youth participation in Morocco's public sphere. While individual characteristics such as education, gender, political interest and political knowledge are important for understanding the phenomenon of participation and non-participation, it is argued that contextual factors of youth participation matter. Our data demonstrate weak interest and engagement in the arena of traditional, formal politics. This sphere has become so discredited over the years that participation through political parties and elections is now being perceived by a majority of young people as meaningless. Instead Moroccan youth favour different forms of "politics from below" such as voicing one's opinion on the Internet and in political protests. In this respect, our findings mirror those of other studies. Youth activism in Morocco is not primarily defined by the formal spaces of participation; rather, it is about the degree of influence that they can exercise through one venue or another. The institutional setting plays a major role in obstructing young people's political participation, particularly their involvement in formal politics.
After four decades of authoritarian rule under King Hassan, in July 1999 Morocco experienced a sm... more After four decades of authoritarian rule under King Hassan, in July 1999 Morocco experienced a smooth succession with the ascension of King Mohammed VI to power. Like his Arab counterparts King Abdallah in Jordan and President Bashar al-Asad in Syria, the young king seemed full of promise for change and a desire to move his country toward economic liberalization and democratization. Indeed, the new king affirmed his attachment to the constitutional monarchy, the multiparty system, the establishment of rule by law, and the safeguarding of human rights. While keeping some of his father's " old guard " appointees, during the first three years of his reign Mohammed VI brought in a new generation of elites composed mainly of people from his close circle of friends, the " court clique, " and technocrats. Changes at the core of the regime were also accompanied by transformations in the composition of the second and third circles of the politically relevant elite. 1 The new elite configuration in Morocco should be seen in the context of the political opening that was set in motion in the last decade by King Hassan, who recognized the necessity of preparing conditions for a smooth succession. Also since the early 1990s domestic opposition and international pressures had led the regime to adopt measured political, social, and economic reforms aimed at democratizing the political system. Changes in the composition of the politically relevant elite, however, will not have a substantial impact on political liberalization unless they are also accompanied by changes in elite attitudes and behavior. 2 Indeed, elite attitudes toward political power have tended to be characterized primarily by concern for their own interests. The monarchy has played a vigorous role in the perpetuation of elite immobilisme (stasis), employing various means of manipulation. The monarchy at the same time created a clientelist network in which economic self-interest became part of elite members' shared values. The attitudes of elite members toward the monarchy have
Teaching Documents by Saloua Zerhouni
Cet article propose une classification des types d'apprentissage en matière de politiques publiqu... more Cet article propose une classification des types d'apprentissage en matière de politiques publiques ainsi qu'un certain nombre de critères d'évaluation de plusieurs perspectives théoriques. Ces critères sont appliqués à une série de théories américaines et européennes qui toutes intègrent la dimension cognitive des politiques publiques. L'essentiel de la littérature américaine, notamment les études comparées incluant un grand nombre de cas et les théories du choix rationnel institutionnel, accorde une place limitée aux processus de cognition et d'apprentissage. À l'opposé, les idées jouent un rôle primordial pour de nombreuses approches. En pratique, cependant, ces dernières négligent souvent les facteurs institutionnels et socio-économiques et ne proposent pas d'hypothèses suffisamment falsifiables. Un certain nombre de modèles théoriques occupent une position intermédiaire en essayant à la fois d'incorporer des déterminants cognitifs et non cognitifs et de satisfaire aux critères scienti-fiques pour ce qui concerne la clarté des hypothèses et leur caractère falsifiable. En conclusion l'article suggère un certain nombre d'améliorations méthodologiques dans l'étude des pro-cessus cognitifs dans lès politiques publiques.
Un haut fonctionnaire britannique remarquait avec humour : « Une politique publique, c'est un peu... more Un haut fonctionnaire britannique remarquait avec humour : « Une politique publique, c'est un peu comme un éléphant -vous le reconnaissez quand vous le voyez, mais vous ne pouvez pas facilement le définir » (Cunningham 1963, p. 229). Devant cette difficulté, on peut s'entendre sur une définition conventionnelle : « Une politique publique se présente sous la forme d'un programme d'action propre à une ou plusieurs autori-2. Toutes les citations traduites l'ont été par nos soins.
Si l'analyse des politiques a contribué à renouveler de manière spectaculaire un certain nombre d... more Si l'analyse des politiques a contribué à renouveler de manière spectaculaire un certain nombre d'interrogations fondamentales de la science politique, cette entreprise de rénovation se heurte aujourd'hui à un certain nombre d'obstacles pour répondre à ce qui reste l'une des questions centrales de la science politique : comment «fabrique-t-on » de l'ordre dans une société complexe ? Dans la mesure où elle considère que l'objet des politiques publiques n'est plus seulement de « résoudre les problèmes » mais de construire des cadres d'interprétation du monde, l'approche cognitive des politiques publiques peut apporter un certain nombre d'élé-ments de réponse. Pour étayer cette hypothèse, il s'agit d'abord de rappeler en quoi l'analyse des politiques publiques a constitué une rupture dans l'étude de l'État et en quoi cette rupture a trouvé ses limites, pour montrer ensuite que l'analyse cognitive des politiques publiques permet de lever ces obstacles parce qu 'elle conduit à renouveler la difficile question du rapport entre les acteurs et les structures de sens. De ce fait, elle permet de mieux prendre en compte la dimension du global dans l'action publique et donc l'impact de la globalisation sur la trans-formation des formes de l'action publique.
Course Description Since December 2010, youth-led mobilizations for dignity, freedom and social j... more Course Description Since December 2010, youth-led mobilizations for dignity, freedom and social justice have swept most of the countries of the Arab region. Youth massive implication in protests shifted the attention of scholars and policy-makers and triggered renewed interest in youth politics. Recent protests and uprisings in the region portray the image of a generation of young people claiming their citizenship rights and willing to be 'agents' of change in their countries. In this course, we will ask how do the young people participate in politics? What kinds of alternative modes are the youth proposing? How are they organized/unorganized? What are the limits and obstacles they are faced with? and how far were they able to influence change in their countries? This course introduces theoretical approaches on youth political participation and discusses diverse conceptualizations of the category of the youth. It analyzes youth involvement in various political and social movements by focusing on Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. It will take an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective and look at old and new forms of political participation, mobilization and protest. The course will put an emphasis on the role of youth contentious politics in enabling political change in their countries. It will combine theoretical and empirical readings, classroom discussions and documentaries.
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Papers by Saloua Zerhouni
Teaching Documents by Saloua Zerhouni