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  • The Aspect of Fear and Ethnic Profiling in Zighen Aym’s Tale: “Still Moments”
  • Abstract
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  • The Aspect of Fear and Ethnic Profiling in Zighen Aym’s Tale: “Still Moments”
  • Abstract
  • The paper is a critique of a literary work entitled “Still Moments” written by an Algerian
  • author after living social discrimination and exclusion by American authorities after the 9/11
  • events. I put focus on two main themes that are: fear and ethnic profiling in an era of
  • globalization. In this tale, one can identify the multifaceted nature of Aym’s identity which is
  • made of a mixture of multicultural and multilingual faces. Aym precised this detail by stating:
  • “I spoke three completely different languages for 18 years before I even learned English”
  • (Aym, 2005: 52). The Algerian identity is unique in the world since it is the result of a long
  • history of conquerors, political events and socio-economic acts. Aym belongs to this nation
  • and has an Algerian identity, but he travelled to the USA to flee terror. His own experience in
  • the USA makes of him a bit different although his Algerian social, cultural, linguistic and
  • educational backgrounds are omnipresent in his story when referring to his experience of
  • social profiling in the US. However, after the 9/11 era, criteria for cultural and social
  • inclusion in the USA changed and Aym lived accordingly special moments with an FBI call
  • and interview just because of his skin. The paper is an analysis of the book focusing on
  • Aym’s experience, identity, culture through the words he used to mirror out the Dark Age
  • humanity is living because of the extension of war, sorrow, terror and injustice.
  • Key words: Fear, Ethnic Profiling, 9/11 America, Still Moments, Algerian
  • Identity.
  • جامعة مولود معم
  • The paper is a critique of a literary work entitled “Still Moments” written by an Algerian
  • author after living social discrimination and exclusion by American authorities after the 9/11
  • events. I put focus on two main themes that are: fear and ethnic profiling in an era of
  • globalization. In this tale, one can identify the multifaceted nature of Aym’s identity which is
  • made of a mixture of multicultural and multilingual faces. Aym precised this detail by stating:
  • “I spoke three completely different languages for 18 years before I even learned English”
  • (Aym, 2005: 52). The Algerian identity is unique in the world since it is the result of a long
  • history of conquerors, political events and socio-economic acts. Aym belongs to this nation
  • and has an Algerian identity, but he travelled to the USA to flee terror. His own experience in
  • the USA makes of him a bit different although his Algerian social, cultural, linguistic and
  • educational backgrounds are omnipresent in his story when referring to his experience of
  • social profiling in the US. However, after the 9/11 era, criteria for cultural and social
  • inclusion in the USA changed and Aym lived accordingly special moments with an FBI call
  • and interview just because of his skin. The paper is an analysis of the book focusing on
  • Aym’s experience, identity, culture through the words he used to mirror out the Dark Age
  • humanity is living because of the extension of war, sorrow, terror and injustice.
  • Key words: Fear, Ethnic Profiling, 9/11 America, Still Moments, Algerian
  • Identity.
  • Picturing Islamophobia by Prof. Alka Patel, Review of Middle East Studies, Volume 43 No. 2 Winter 2009, pages 247-250
  • Irfan Yusuf for the The American Muslim (April 2008)
  • Christina Smith For Reader Views (February 2006)
  • Mustapha Chelfi dans le Journal Alpha, Montréal Canada, No. 80, October 2005
  • Moh Si Belkacem dans Journal Liberté, Algérie, November 2, 2005.
  • Bill Weinberg for www.ww4report.com
  • Kathleen Voss Woolrich for Arabesques Editions,, US Desk, September 2006.
  • Excerpt from the review of Prof. Alka Patel from University of California at Irvine:
    " The book's opening scene, which could be the beginning of a suspense film or thriller, jolts the reader to attention: One evening in January 2003, a family man, anticipating a restful evening at home with his wife and children after a routine work day, receives an ominous phone call from someone identifying himself an FBI agent and demanding a meeting."

Assigned Reading

STILL MOMENTS has been assigned as required reading  at the following universities:
  1. University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Department of History (Spring 2006 and 2007)
  2. University of Indiana at Bloomington, Department of Anthropology (Spring 2006)
  3. Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Department of French (Spring 2006)

Book    Quotes

Each one of us is guilty for the sole reason that we belong to a category, a race, a people. You fear that someone will attack you only because nobody has done it yet.
    Mouloud Feraoun in Journal 1954-1962: Reflections on the French-Algerian War 

There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.
    Elie Wiesel

When you see an injustice being committed, try to stop it. If you can’t, then protest loudly against it. If you can’t do even that, at least condemn it in your heart.
    Prophet Muhammed

Silence is death
And if you speak, you die
If you are silent, you die
So speak and die
    Tahar Djaout

If you stand up and are counted, you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: A man flattened by an opponent can get up again. A man flattened by conformity stays down for good.
    Watson, J. Thomas, Jr., (1914 - 1993)
We must not let our patriotic conviction make outlaws of us, paradox of paradoxes. For, as all of you know, the law has never defended just causes—in fact, it has nothing to do with justice or truth.
    Tahar Djaout in The Watchers

If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.
    James Madison, U.S. President (1809-1817)

Do not condemn us, you above all. We have educated you. We have given you a formidable weapon. We want your gratitude. Of course we are not asking you to compromise yourself—you are a family man. All we ask is that you plug your ears and close your eyes, nothing more.
    Mouloud Feraoun in Journal 1954-1962: Reflections on the French-Algerian War

It took us almost 100 years to get rid of slavery right here in the Land of the Free, it took us another 100  years to get rid of legal discrimination based on race and gender…
    Molly Ivins, Author and political commentator
BIBLIOGRAPHY
  1.  “Algeria Accuses US., and others in Berbers' Unrest,'' The New York Times, April 25, 1980, Sec. A, p. 6.
  2. Waldman, Peter , “Algerians Wonder Who’s Really Behind Recent Series of High-Profile Murders,” The Wall Street Journal, July 1, 1993, Sec. A, p. 8, col. 1.
  3.  Yous, Nesroulah and Mellah, Salima, Qui a tué à Bentalha? Chronique d’un Massacre Annoncé, La Découverte, 2000.
  4. Souaïdia, Habib, La Sale Guerre, La Découverte, Paris, 2001.
  5.  Daley, Suzanne, “Challenge for Algeria: Berber Anger,” The New York Times, December 20, 2001, Sec. A, p. 8, col. 3.
  6. Aboud, Hichem, La Maffia des Généraux, Lattès, Paris, 2002.
  7. Amazigh–American Committee in Solidarity with Kabylia, “Open Letter to the US Ambassador to Algeria,” September 29, 2002, or at kabyle.com/article.php3?id_article=1996 (January 23, 2005). 
  8. Weisman, Steve. “US to Sell Weapons to Algeria to Help Fight Islamic Radicals,” The New York Times, December 10, 2002, Sec. A, p. 20, col. 3.
  9. “Berbers in Algeria Refuse Peace Talks ,” The New York Times, June 30, 2003, Sec. A, p. 9, col. 1.
  10. Le Sueur, James, “Introduction,” in Mouloud Feraoun, The Poor Man’s Son, University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville, 2005.

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