UNE’s Anouar Majid featured in ‘The Arab’ weekly

Anouar Majid

The Arab, a weekly publication based in London and distributed throughout the Arab world, recently published a feature article on the life and work of UNE Vice President for Global Affairs Anouar Majid, Ph.D.

Titled “The ‘Heretic’ World of Moroccan Writer Anouar Majid” the article recounts Majid’s early experiences in the United States, recalling the first film script he wrote as a film major in New York City as well as one of the first short stories he wrote. The script depicted the fraught migration of a Moroccan citizen to Britain; the short story portrayed the plight of an American citizen who crossed the Atlantic to live in Tangier.

“I was always preoccupied with my city, Tangier,” Majid explains in the article. “As I lived within New York’s skyscrapers and broad streets, Tangier occupied my mind, dispelling my concerns.”

The article covers Majid’s academic articles and books, while focusing on 2009 book, We Are All Moors, which was published on the 400th anniversary of the expulsion of the Moriscos from Spain.

“Every book is the fruit of continuous reading and meditation,” Majid explains. “I deal with my readings with an open mind. I am not the type to hold on to unchanging convictions. Our readings change us. Observing people and the world changes some of our notions. Daily life is the best teacher. We should not read to confirm our convictions.”  

In closing, the article notes Majid’s conviction that freedom is his ultimate religion. “Liberty is my grail,” he explains, “because it has always been the Holy Grail of [humans] since the beginning of [their] journey on this Earth. Perhaps there is on this Earth something that is worth living for, thinking about and struggling for.”

Read the article.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.