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| Centre Jacques Berque | |
|---|---|
| Name | Centre Jacques Berque |
| Native name | Centre Jacques-Berque |
| Established | 1984 |
| Location | Rabat, Morocco |
| Type | research institute, cultural centre |
Centre Jacques Berque
The Centre Jacques Berque is a cultural and research institution in Rabat, Morocco, founded to promote studies and dialogue on Morocco and the Maghreb. It hosts scholars, artists, and diplomats, and organizes conferences, exhibitions, and publications that engage with topics linked to Islamic Studies, Francophone literature, and Mediterranean exchanges. The centre acts as a hub connecting academic networks from France, Spain, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and regional partners across North Africa.
The inception of the centre followed collaborations between institutions such as the French Institute network, the Académie des sciences d'outre-mer, and Moroccan ministries after the late 1970s. It opened amid initiatives involving personalities connected to Jacques Berque, Ernest Renan, and postcolonial debates shaped by figures like Albert Memmi and Edward Said. The early governance included trustees with links to the École des hautes études en sciences sociales, Collège de France, and the Université Mohammed V. During the 1990s the centre expanded programming paralleling projects by Institut du Monde Arabe, British Council, and Goethe-Institut, while maintaining ties with regional archives such as the Bibliothèque Nationale du Royaume du Maroc and museums like the Museum of Moroccan Arts. In the 2000s it adapted to shifts prompted by events including the Arab Spring and international cultural policies from the European Union and UNESCO.
The centre’s mission emphasizes research, mediation, and cultural diplomacy, aligning with scholarly traditions associated with Jacques Berque, Fernand Braudel, and Pierre Bourdieu. It supports fieldwork on topics connecting Andalusian heritage, Sufism, and Berber cultures, and convenes specialists working on archives such as the Archives nationales (France), the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, and university collections at Université de Provence. Activities include hosting fellows from the Collège international de philosophie, organizing seminars with contributors from École Normale Supérieure, and facilitating residencies for artists who have collaborated with institutions like Centre Pompidou and Tate Modern.
The centre occupies a rehabilitated complex that reflects architectural dialogues observed between Morocco and France during the 20th century, evoking elements found in Rabat’s diplomatic quarter and heritage sites like the Kasbah of the Udayas. Restoration projects engaged architects and conservators associated with ICOMOS and the Institut National des Sciences de l'Archéologie et du Patrimoine. The premises include seminar rooms, an auditorium, a library, and exhibition spaces designed to host works by artists connected to Fouad Bellamine, Tahar Ben Jelloun, and Yto Barrada. Landscape interventions referenced historic gardens such as those at the Royal Palace of Rabat and borrowed principles from conservation projects at the Archaeological Site of Volubilis.
Scholarly output covers monographs, edited volumes, and working papers contributed by researchers affiliated with Université Hassan II, Université Aix-Marseille, Università di Bologna, and University of Cambridge. The centre publishes series addressing topics in Islamic law archives, migration studies, and urbano-cultural transformations with contributors citing primary sources from the National Library of Spain and colonial records from the Service des Archives du Protectorat. Collaborations produced publications in partnership with presses such as Éditions du CNRS, Brill Publishers, Cambridge University Press, and Routledge, and produced catalogues for exhibitions previously co-curated with the Musée du quai Branly and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Programming ranges from academic conferences with participants from Harvard University, Université Libre de Bruxelles, and Universidad de Granada to film series featuring works screened at festivals like Festival International du Film de Marrakech and the Cannes Film Festival. The centre has hosted concerts drawing musicians linked to the Gnawa tradition and collaborations with ensembles associated with Pierre Boulez-inspired contemporary music initiatives. It organizes public debates engaging diplomats from the French Embassy in Morocco, UNESCO representatives, and researchers from the World Bank on urban policy and heritage preservation.
The centre maintains formal agreements with universities and cultural organizations including Université Mohammed V, Institut Français, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, German Academic Exchange Service, and the British Council. Project-based partnerships have involved the European Commission’s cultural programs, the Ford Foundation, and the Open Society Foundations, and joint research with laboratory networks such as the CNRS research units and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement.
Governance combines a board drawing members from academic institutions like École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales and governmental appointees from Moroccan ministries related to heritage and foreign affairs. Funding streams mix endowments, grants from entities such as the European Union cultural funds, project support from foundations including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and partnerships with embassies such as the Embassy of France in Rabat. Administrative practices follow accountability norms comparable to those at public cultural institutes and research centres across Europe and North Africa.
Category:Research institutes in Morocco Category:Cultural centers