Identity and Belonging in the Algerian National Movement: The Pro-Independence Current as a Case Study (1926-1954)

Abstract

This study examines the place of identity and belonging in the discourse and programmes of the pro-independence current within the Algerian national movement between 1926 and 1954. It begins with a central argument. The demand for independence was not purely political. It was also linked to the construction of a cultural vision of the Algerian nation. This vision rested on the Arabic language, Islam, education, and historical memory. It also created tensions within the party, especially during the cultural and linguistic crisis of the late 1940s. The study adopts a historical and analytical approach. It examines the programmes of the North African Star, the Algerian People’s Party, and the Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties. It also draws on Messali Hadj’s speeches, the party press, activists’ testimonies, and specialised historical studies. The findings show that the pro-independence current made the defence of Arabic, Islam, and education part of its strategy of national mobilisation. This choice helped shape a unifying discourse against colonial policy. At the same time, it exposed the limits of a single conception of identity when it encountered the linguistic and cultural diversity of Algerian society. The study concludes that this current must be understood through both its political-liberation dimension and its cultural-symbolic dimension. Reductionist and justificatory readings should be avoided.