Tunisia: Between the Mediterranean and the Sahara—Tradition, Tourism and Radical Transformation

As an intersection of different civilisations, Tunisia today is still a country shaped by several cultures and eras from different perspectives: inhabited for thousands of years by the Amazigh people up to Carthage—the greatest power of the western Mediterranean, from the Roman Empire to the Byzantines, from Ottoman rule to the French protectorate, all these cultures have left their spatial, social, and also ecological traces.

The country and its (urban) landscapes are characterised by these numerous social changes and historical turning points. In the more recent past, these include above all the protests of the so-called Arab Spring, which began in Tunisia in 2010 and shortly afterwards stirred up many parts of the Arab world. After the fall of the then President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, Tunisia experienced a profound change in its political and social structures, including far-reaching democratization processes. In contrast to other Arab countries, where protests and rebellion took place, Tunisia managed the transition to democracy. According to experts, the 2014 constitution is considered one of the most progressive in the Arab world.

In order to experience this complexity and diversity of Tunisia, the study trip is divided into four stops: Tunis, Kairouan, Sfax and Matmata. Starting in the country's capital, which is characterized by Islamic and traditional North African architecture as well as French colonial architecture, the tour continues inland to Kairouan, the former capital of Tunisia. The next stop is Sfax, the second largest city in the country. In addition to a growing economy, it offers exciting insights into neighbourhood initiatives, urban development projects and interdisciplinary organisations. Finally, we will explore the Berber village of Matmata and visit the traditional underground troglodyte structures.

In times of political shifts and polarisation, we would like to use the programme to focus on non-European lifeworlds and narratives in order to complement and critically question established European views and perspectives.

600,00 €/person. We have applied for further funding and hope to bring this down to around 150 €/person. Information on the status of the funding will be provided on an ongoing basis.

There will be 12 places, to be allocated on the basis of an expression of interest including a letter of motivation. Please describe your motives and interests on 1 DIN A4 page and send it to gtas[at]tu-braunschweig.de by 31 March.