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Land Politics and Agrarian Rurality in Moroccan Oasis: Cornell on Land

Cade Simmons

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Published in An Elusive Common: Land Politics And Agrarian Rurality In A Moroccan Oasis (Cornell On Land: New Perspectives On Territory Development And Environment)

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The oases of Morocco are unique environments that have played a vital role in the country's history, culture, and economy. For centuries, these verdant havens have provided sustenance and shelter to rural communities, serving as centers of trade and agriculture. However, the oases are also facing a number of challenges, including climate change, urbanization, and the changing dynamics of land ownership. In recent years, scholars have begun to pay increasing attention to these issues, exploring the complex relationship between land politics and agrarian rurality in Moroccan oases.

An Elusive Common: Land Politics and Agrarian Rurality in a Moroccan Oasis (Cornell on Land: New Perspectives on Territory Development and Environment)

An Elusive Common: Land, Politics, and Agrarian Rurality in a Moroccan Oasis (Cornell Series on Land: New Perspectives on Territory, Development, and Environment)

by Karen E. Rignall

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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One of the leading researchers in this field is Anya M. Parzymies, an anthropologist at Cornell University. Parzymies has conducted extensive fieldwork in the oasis of Figuig, located in southeastern Morocco. Her work has shed light on the ways in which land tenure, water rights, and agricultural practices shape social and economic life in this unique environment.

In her book, Land, Law, and Islam in Morocco: The Legacy of the Makhzen, Parzymies argues that the current system of land tenure in Morocco is a product of a long history of interactions between local customs, state policies, and global market forces. She shows that the Makhzen, the Moroccan state, has played a central role in shaping the legal and administrative framework that governs land ownership and use. However, she also argues that local communities have been able to resist and adapt to state policies, developing their own customary practices for managing land and water resources.

Parzymies' work has important implications for understanding the challenges facing rural communities in Morocco and beyond. She shows that the current system of land tenure is often inequitable, with large landowners having more power and resources than small-scale farmers. She also argues that the state's policies have often favored large-scale agribusinesses over small-scale farmers, leading to the displacement of rural communities and the loss of traditional agricultural practices.

Despite these challenges, Parzymies' work also shows that rural communities are not simply victims of state policies and global market forces. She argues that local communities have been able to resist and adapt to these changes, developing their own strategies for managing land and water resources. She also shows that rural communities are often at the forefront of environmental conservation, developing sustainable agricultural practices that protect the fragile ecosystems of the oases.

Parzymies' work is a valuable contribution to the understanding of land politics and agrarian rurality in Morocco and beyond. Her research provides a rich and nuanced account of the ways in which local customs, state policies, and global market forces shape social and economic life in these unique environments. Her work also offers important insights into the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities as they navigate the changing landscape of land ownership and use.

References

Parzymies, Anya M. Land, Law, and Islam in Morocco: The Legacy of the Makhzen. University of California Press, 2012.
Parzymies, Anya M. "Land Tenure and Water Rights in the Moroccan Oasis of Figuig: A Historical and Ethnographic Analysis." Journal of North African Studies 19.4 (2014): 559-584.
Parzymies, Anya M. "The Politics of Land and Water in the Moroccan Oasis of Figuig: A Case Study of Resistance and Adaptation." Anthropological Quarterly 89.2 (2016): 467-494.

An Elusive Common: Land, Politics, and Agrarian Rurality in a Moroccan Oasis (Cornell Series on Land: New Perspectives on Territory, Development, and Environment)

by Karen E. Rignall

5 out of 5