The Development of Modern Arab Historiography: Decolonization and New Methodologies

The development of professional historiography in North Africa was a prolonged process, deeply influenced by the pervasive French colonial presence dating from Algeria's occupation in 1830. The first semi-professional Arabic histories of Algeria emerged in the late 1920s and 1930s. While Morocco and Tunisia also faced challenges, they possessed stronger foundations for rewriting national histories post-independence, owing to more resilient local education systems and a somewhat less intrusive colonial impact. However, upon independence, the first generation of professional historians across the Maghreb remained French-trained and often wrote in French. Their primary objective was to refute the derogatory narratives of colonial historians, using the colonizer's own language and methodologies to dismantle myths of native backwardness and stagnation.

This initial phase can be characterized as a necessary, albeit reactive, dialogue with the former colonial masters. Scholars like the Algerian historian Mohamed Sahli, in his 1965 work, systematically deconstructed French historical biases regarding Berber society, the resistance of Emir Abdelkader, and the Moqrani rebellion. Sahli called for a "Copernican revolution" in historical understanding. While criticized for being primarily deconstructive, his efforts, alongside those of Mostefa Lacheraf, ignited a sustained intellectual movement to reclaim national history. This endeavor was not merely academic; it was a political act to affirm the legitimacy of independence and reconstruct a dynamic, sovereign national identity.

The seminal figure in this decolonizing project was Abdallah Laroui, whose 1970 synthesis, L’histoire du Maghreb, offered a profound critique of both colonial and traditional Muslim historiography, including Ibn Khaldun. Laroui aimed not just to correct the record but to restore historical agency to the Maghreb, portraying it as a subject of its own development rather than a passive object of foreign conquests. His work shifted the goal from pure refutation to constructing a new historical consciousness, intended to overcome what he termed the region's "historical lag." This intellectual movement gained institutional support, exemplified by Algeria's establishment of the Centre National d’Etudes Historiques in 1971.

Following independence, historiography naturally turned inward to examine the internal dynamics of new nation-states. A new, often critical generation of historians emerged. In Algeria, scholars like Mohammad Harbi and Mahfoud Kaddache offered fresh perspectives. In Tunisia, Hichem Djait re-examined Islamic history, while Abdeljelil Temimi led a rehabilitation of the Ottoman Empire's role in Arab history. Moroccan historians such as Ahmad Tawfiq produced detailed socio-economic studies. This period also saw the rise of oral history as a vital methodology, particularly in Libya, where the Jihad Centre for Libyan Historical Studies (founded 1977) meticulously recorded testimonies from the anti-Italian resistance.

Libyan historiography was pioneered by figures like Mustafa Ba'you and the Palestinian scholar Ahmad Sidqi al-Dajani, whose work on the Sanusiyya movement remains authoritative. In Sudan, historiography grappled with the nation's complex Arab-Islamic and African identities, focusing on the Mahdiyya movement and the legacy of British rule. Historians like Yusuf Fadl Hasan and Mudathir Abd al-Rahim utilized the rich Central Archives to decolonize Sudanese history and trace the roots of modern nationalism. Sudanese scholars also became pioneers in applying oral history, a tool later used to empower women's narratives.

A transformative development in late 20th-century Arab historiography has been the growing contribution of women scholars and feminist organizations. Institutions like the Lebanese Association of Women Researchers (1992), the Institute for Women’s Study in the Arab World (1973), and Egypt's Women and Memory Forum (1997) have institutionalized gender studies. Influential theorists and historians such as Fatima Mernissi, Leila Ahmed, and Nawal al-Sa'dawi have injected critical objectivity and firsthand insight into the study of women's roles, fundamentally expanding the field's scope and perspective.

Over the last half-century, Arab historiography has matured into a professional, globalized discipline with dedicated journals, conferences, and academic standards. Despite variations in research facilities and political constraints across states, historical study is now firmly integrated into university curricula and public intellectual debate. While distinct, monolithic schools of thought may not be easily delineated, the field demonstrates undeniable buoyancy and sophistication. It has successfully moved from a defensive, decolonizing posture to an active, multifaceted engagement with the past, employing diverse methodologies from economic history and social analysis to oral testimony and gender studies to understand the complex trajectories of Arab societies.