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Abstract
Since 2000, fiction publishing in Algeria has been described by a number of scholars and cultural commentators as undergoing a “boom.” New independent publishing houses are presented as providing the possibility for new authors to emerge and be published in Algeria, in close contact with an Algerian readership. This article seeks to nuance this picture, through analysing the publishing infrastructure in Algeria, the transnational networks within which Algerian publishers operate, and perceptions of Algerian reading publics. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, each of these areas is examined from the perspectives of Algerian authors, booksellers, and publishers. The article argues that “independent” publishing in Algeria remains highly dependent on transnational publishing networks in France (for French-language works) and the Middle East (for Arabic-language works). This has important effects on consolidating the division of Algerian literature into “Arabophone” and “Francophone” categories, and reinforcing the assigned role of the Algerian author as interpreter of their society. Furthermore, despite an increasingly Arabophone Algerian reading public, and increasing connections between Algerian publishers and international Arabic-language publishers, publishing in French continues to be better subsidized and distributed internationally, and more likely to be commercially successful.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Personal interviews
Publishers
Lazaar, Abdelkader. Personal Interview. 20 June. 2017.
Nadji, Hicham. Personal Interview. 29 June. 2017.
M’hand, Smail. Personal interview. 02 July. 2017.
Sebaoun, Said. Personal Interview. 03 July. 2017.
Djaouida, Himrane. Personal Interview.03 July. 2017.
Nabil, Daouada. Personal Interview. 05 July. 2017.
Righi, Chawki. Personal Interview.05 July. 2017.
Chikh, Karim. Personal Interview. Oct. 2017
Hellal, Selma. Personal Interview. Oct. 2017
Mansouri, Samira. Personal Interview. Oct. 2017
Slimani, Sarah. Personal Interview. Oct. 2017
Chatate, Adi. Personal Interview. Oct. 2017
Mefti, Bachir. Personal Interview. Oct. 2017
Djerroud, Tarik. Personal Interview. Oct. 2017
Authors
Girod, Ryad. Personal Interview. 01 June. 2017
Yabrir, Ismail. Personal Interview. 02 June. 2017
Ould Abdallah, Abdelatif. Personal Interview. 14 June. 2017
Kacimi, Samir. Personal Interview. 04 July. 2017
Koussa, Alloua. Personal Interview.05 July. 2017
Djafar, Mohammed. Personal Interview. 09 July. 2017
Aissaoui, Abdelouhaeb. Personal Interview.28 Oct. 2017
Mokhenache, Sofiane. Personal Interview. 28 Oct. 2017
Taibi, Rafik. Personal Interview. 28 Oct. 2017
Khatibi, Saïd. Personal Interview. 29 Oct. 2017
Hadir, Riadh. Personal interview. 31 Oct. 2017
Yabrir, Miloud. Personal Interview. 31 Oct. 2017
Merani, Djamila. Personal Interview. Email. 28 Sep. 2018
Bouchareb, Amel. Questions for authors. 02 Oct 2018. E-mail
Meghzouchene, Belkacem. Questions for authors. 18 Dec 2018. E-mail.
Bookshop sellers
Mehamdi, Hattim. Personal Interview. 28 June. 2017
Boumdiene, Zaoui. Personal Interview. 28 June. 2017
Bouali, Selim. Personal interview. 28 June. 2017
Meliani, Ahmed. Personal Interview. 29 June. 2017
Minuit. Personal Interview. July.2017
Belaskri, Mohammed. Personal Interview. 08 July. 2017
Ali Bey, Abdel Rahman. Personal Interview. 02 July. 2017
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Karima Bentoumi
Karima Bentoumi ([email protected]) is a PhD candidate at the University of Portsmouth, based at the school of Area Studies, History, Politics and Literature. Her research focuses on the condition of production of Postcolonial literature, with a particular focus on North African Literature in Arabic as well as in French. Bentoumi’s primary areas of interests include but are not limited to postcolonial studies, historical fiction and translation.