Al-Mahdī Ibn Tūmart and ʿAbd al-Muʾmin Ibn ʿAlī in Moroccan and Algerian School Textbooks: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The rule of the Almohad state encompassed territories that today fall under the sovereignty of Morocco and Algeria; yet the teaching of this state's history in the two countries is marked by notable divergence. The Algerian textbook tends to centre on the figure of ʿAbd al-Muʾmin Ibn ʿAlī, whereas the Moroccan textbook accords particular prominence to the figure of al-Mahdī Ibn Tūmart. Against this backdrop, how have these two figures been presented in the school textbooks of Algeria and Morocco respectively? What is the nature of the pedagogical supports and documents mobilised to introduce them and to foreground their historical roles? And does the manner in which the two figures are presented to learners reflect stakes and considerations engendered by the present-day political context?