The death of the Algerian writer and filmmaker Assia Djebar in February 2015 represents the loss of a major voice of world literature and one of the last great literary representatives of the age of decolonization. For half a century, Djebar explored her country’s past and present in novels, essays and films that combine poignant lyricism with theoretical sophistication. Counter-narratives to official nationalism, her works highlight, above all, the experiences of Algerian women before, during and after colonialism. In this one-day conference an international group of leading scholars reflects on Djebar’s poetics and politics and the legacies of her writing in Algeria, France and beyond.

The conference will include three panels: Overtures and Departures; Memory and Mourning; and History and Fantasy; and a keynote address by Gayatri Spivak.

This event is co-sponsored by the Columbia Maison Française and the Middle East Institute at Columbia University.