Jörg Gertel and Ingo Breuer (eds.): Pastoral Morocco. Globalizing Scapes of Mobility and Insecurity. Wiesbaden (Nomaden und Sesshafte 7) 2007. 257 S.
Pastoral Morocco is an innovative approach to grasp the importance of pastoralism as it is observed and interpreted in present-day Morocco. The volume is roughly divided into two sections. Three papers constitute the first part in which the scope of pastoralism is explicated in a conceptual framework, in time and space and as embedded in the world market. JÖRG GERTEL introduces different dimensions of research perspectives. Pastoralism is perceived as strategy and as a mode to mitigate insecurity. The nexus of mobility and resources, social reproduction processes and the overcoming of traditional spatial perceptions and restrictions are further dimensions of investigation which are opened-up in his introductory chapter.
JEANNE CHICHE contributes a valuable historical comparison of pastoralism in Morocco by contrasting the observations of pastoral practices in 1934 with recent fieldwork in 2005. The general pattern is then dissolved by highlighting regional differences and peculiarities. DIANA DAVIS emphasizes a global perspective and discusses the impact of World Bank packages, such as the structural adjustment programme for Morocco. These three chapters set the stage for the second part with ten contributions titled "regional geographies of pastoral Morocco". Here we encounter worthwhile case studies as by BOUTAYAB TAG on the strategy of sedentarization and its impact on social transformation in Eastern Morocco. MOHAMED MAHDI addresses pastoralism and institutional change in the "oriental". MOHAMED KHALIL investigates meat-related commodity chains in Eastern Morocco, while INGO BREUER takes the perspective of the Pre-Saharan periphery when looking into marketing options and constraints. HOURIA DJOUDI, IRENE HOFFMANN, BOUCHRA EL AMIRI and JÖRG STEINBACH cooperated in their case study devoted to the relationship of animal husbandry and pasture access in the Middle Atlas. Further regional case studies are contributed by MOHAMMED ADERGAL about Atlantic Morocco, INGO BREUER focuses on the High Atlas, JUTTA WERNER investigated in the Draa and the Souss. The Souss was the research area of BERTRAM TURNER as well, who looked specifically into conflict-stricken situations. The final chapter by HASSAN RACHIK poses a question which is central to this volume: Nomads - but how? The major contribution of this volume to pastoralism studies is a two-fold one. The editors have succeeded in convening a group of researchers that presented the readership with a comprehensive overview of vital topics in pastoralism research in Morocco, content- and region- wise. Secondly, this volume offers a state-of-the-art tome in the English language for comparative studies to colleagues who are interested in recent developments in Morocco and in their linkages beyond the place.
Hermann Kreutzmann