The Discursive Production of Citizenship, Social Identity, and Religious Discrimination
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The Discursive Production of Citizenship, Social Identity, and Religious Discrimination: the Case of Tunisia A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master in Political Science Fatma Jabbari May 2018 © 2018 Fatma Jabbari. All Rights Reserved. 2 this thesis titled The Discursive Production of Citizenship, Social Identity, and Religious Discrimination: The Case of Tunisia by FATMA JABBARI has been approved for the Department of Political Science and the College of Arts and Sciences by Nukhet Sandal Associate Professor of Political Science Robert Frank Dean, College of Arts and Sciences 3 ABSTRACT JABBARI, FATMA, M.A., May 2018, Political Science The Discursive Production of Citizenship, Social Identity, and Religious Discrimination: The Case of Tunisia Director of thesis: Nukhet Sandal Post-conflict state building projects aim to reform the conceptualization and implementation of citizenship mostly through education. The socialization of identity through schools tend to define social cohesion by promoting narratives based on nationalist rhetoric and national identity. This is especially true for countries with centralized authority such as Tunisia, where the educational institutions and curricula are sanctioned and monitored by the state. This thesis examines the discursive production of identity and citizenship boundaries in state narratives as embedded in Social Science textbooks through three time periods: The Bourguiba era 1956-1987, Ben Ali administration, 1987-201, and contemporary dynamics; 2011-Present.The thesis also analyzes the effects of identity production processes on social discrimination against religious minorities (Christians and Jews) in Tunisia. This study does so by means of mixed methods. First, it examines thirty-one (36) Social Sciences textbooks (History, Civics, and Islamic Education) circulated nationwide in Tunisia as well as interviews, political declarations, and official documents. Second, it analyzes data from round 3 of The Religion and State (RAS3) dataset (between 2009-2014) to examine the impact of state nationalist narratives on societal discrimination against religious minorities in Tunisia and the MENA region. Understanding the impact of identity polarization on 4 religious discrimination is a critical step towards understanding the complex mechanisms of democratization, citizenship, and peacebuilding in diverse war-torn regions swayed by revolutions and uprisings. 5 DEDICATION This thesis and all my academic achievements are dedicated to my family; I would not be who am I today without you all. First and foremost, to my parents Bahija and Mohammed who have always loved and supported me unconditionally and whose good examples have taught me to work hard for the things that I aspire to achieve. You made me the woman I am, so thank you, I am forever grateful! Also to my nieces and nephew Lyna, Lynda, Kenza, Dora, and Mohammed whose smiles and hugs eased the challenges of distance and homesickness. You are all my shining stars! I finally dedicate my thesis to my brother and sisters, Mahdi, Madiha, Imen, and Hayfa. You have always been a constant source of support and encouragement during the challenging times. You celebrate with me when even the littlest things go right, and you are there whenever I need you; I could not have asked for more! 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am very fortunate to have performed my graduate studies at the Political Science Department at Ohio University. I met amazing faculty, staff, and colleagues whose support cannot be unmentioned. I would first like to thank my academic advisor and professor, Dr. Nukhet Sandal, for her mentorship, guidance, and unconditional support over the years. Under her mentorship, I have learned not only the particulars of academic and professional skills but also invaluable social skills. I can’t thank you enough for inspiring me to continue in the right direction and for making yourself always available. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr. Brandon Kendhammer and Dr. Myra Waterbury for their contributions to this work. Over the course of my master coursework, their doors were open for me, provided me with many insightful suggestions and demonstrated a sincere interest in my work. Special thanks to my professors Dr. Sarah Poggione, Dr. Myra Waterbury, Dr. Brandon Kendhammer who contributed to the progress I have made and were instrumental in my academic advancement. Finally, I would like to express the most profound gratitude to my family and friends in the USA and Tunisia. 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ...........................................................................................................................3 Dedication .......................................................................................................................5 Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................................6 List of tables .................................................................................................................. 10 List of Figures ............................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 1: Conceptual Framework, Literature Review, Theory And Methods ................ 12 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 12 Thesis Outline .......................................................................................................... 21 Conceptual Framework & Literature Review ........................................................... 24 Citizen Engagement ........................................................................................... 24 Social Sciences................................................................................................... 27 Citizenship through Social Science Textbooks ......................................................... 28 National Narratives............................................................................................ 29 National Identity ................................................................................................ 30 Religious Minorities in the MENA Region .......................................................... 32 The Contribution of the Study .................................................................................. 33 Methods ................................................................................................................... 35 Qualitative Research Methods ............................................................................ 36 Quantitative Research Methods .......................................................................... 38 The Educational System in Tunisia; an Overview .................................................... 39 Chapter 2: Official Narratives And Romantic Nationalism ............................................. 41 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 41 National Narratives and Nationalist Discourse ......................................................... 43 Identity Politics and National Narratives: Tunisia .................................................... 48 El-Habib Bourguiba Period (1956-1987) ........................................................... 49 Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali (1987-2011) ................................................................. 53 The Second Transition: In the Aftermath of the 2010-11 Revolution ........................ 56 Analysis and Discussion .......................................................................................... 58 Romantic Nationalist Prism; The Bourguiba Doctrine ....................................... 59 National Identity and Nationalist Discourse ....................................................... 60 Patriotic Fervor ................................................................................................. 62 8 Mandatory Islamic Education and Double Standards ......................................... 64 Pride in Glorious Times ..................................................................................... 68 Correlating Diversity with Conflict .................................................................... 69 Otherness: ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ ............................................................................... 70 Reinforcing Territorial Attachment and Illegal Immigration .............................. 71 Politics of History: National Struggles and Heroes ............................................ 72 Pan-Arabism Dimension .................................................................................... 73 Omitted Historical Facts: Bourguiba’s Shadow ................................................. 74 Obstruction of Minorities’ Collective Memories; The Holocaust ........................ 76 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 79 Chapter 3: The Citizenship Meter: Citizenship, Civic Engagement, And Human Rights 82 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 82 Educating for Citizenship in Civics .......................................................................... 86 Citizenship Education: An Overview ......................................................................