Art, self-censorship, and public discourse: contemporary Moroccan artists at the crossroads

Since the reign of King Mohammed VI in 1999, there has been a recent democratic trend in Morocco that has led to political liberalization and symbolic concessions. This essay explores how a new generation of artists is beginning to test the notions of the Islam, the monarch, and the rights of ethnic groups and women within Morocco. I argue that while they are beginning to test the limits of recent religious, social, and political reforms, these artists show self-restrain and selfcensorship, creating art that falls within the public discourse allowed by the new Moroccan king.

Cynthia J. BeckerEmail: