The Importance of Examining the Peripheries in a Polarized World
In a world divided by political-economic interests that foster extremist ideologies, it is crucial to look towards the “peripheries.” Additionally, questioning the concept of singular, homogeneous identities is essential. These identities are often reduced to labels that obscure the complexity of human beings and stereotype others, branding them as “dangerous” or “enemies” based on skin color, religion, or affiliation with communities that seem foreign and are often misunderstood.
The FIL Prize and its Expanding Vision
This year, the jury of the FIL Prize for Literature in Romance Languages 2025, which awarded the prestigious recognition to Lebanese-French writer Amin Maalouf, included representatives from African Romance literatures for the first time: Francisco Noa and Alain Mabanckou. This expansion enriched the current literary landscape, following the 2024 award to Mozambican author Mía Couto, whose work addresses political conflicts and personal experiences that enable reflection on global issues like the violence affecting millions.
Francisco Noa: A Mozambican Voice for Change
Francisco Noa, a Mozambican literary critic, essayist, and book/article author on cultural identity, coloniality, and transnationalism through literature, is a professor in Mozambique and other countries. He served as rector of Lurio University and is a foreign corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences in Lisbon. In an interview, Noa discussed Mozambique’s situation and the world, as well as the significance of Maalouf’s award in a fragmented planet marked by wars and inequalities.
Noa explains that, despite viewing one’s country as the “center of the world,” being far from global power centers implies being “in the peripheries.” Mozambicans seek “political and intellectual autonomy to decide what’s best for our country,” but their situation is complex due to global disturbances that cause “increasing fragility” in Mozambique (and Africa), placing them in a state of individual and collective precarity.
Violence in Mozambique: A Social Degradation Process
Regarding violence in Mozambique, Noa describes a local and global social degradation process: “The Mozambican people function as a thermoregulator, accumulating frustrations, indignation, and unrest. When all limits are exceeded, everything explodes.” He refers to “blatant irregularities in electoral processes,” which are “performances” in Africa to maintain authoritarian regimes in power.
Noa recalls that 70% of the Sub-Saharan African population is under 25 years old. Many of these young people are dissatisfied, having “little knowledge but a lot of information through social media.” Faced with unacceptable situations, they “find ways to express their discontent because political, cultural institutions don’t work.” Consequently, “violence emerges as an effect.”
Living in a Troubled Contemporaneity
Noa asserts that we live in a “painful, transgressive, and increasingly unsettling contemporaneity” marked by tension, uncertainty, and growing disorientation. Intolerance is on the rise across racial, political, and cultural levels, leading to concentrated and often explicit violence. This situation results from the “absence of a pedagogy of difference” that allows coexistence with “others,” viewing differences as strengths rather than defects.
Amin Maalouf: An Indispensable Voice
In this context, Maalouf’s work is vital as it opposes “all this aggression and derangement.” He confronts global situations caused by denying others, demonstrating that “if we only look at our navels, we fail to see what others can represent in our lives” and neglect our ethical responsibility towards them.
Maalouf’s work highlights the value of cultural diversity, emphasizing that “the crossing of different cultures and diversity are our greatest human wealth.” His writing goes against the destructive forces shaping our world. If we don’t acknowledge diversity’s richness and deny others, we “annihilate our history and, above all, our human condition,” according to Noa.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Amin Maalouf? Amin Maalouf is a Lebanese-French writer recognized for his contributions to literature and understanding cultural diversity.
- Why is Maalouf’s work significant? His writing emphasizes the importance of recognizing and embracing cultural differences, countering global aggression and promoting tolerance.
- What is the FIL Prize for Literature in Romance Languages? The FIL Prize is an international literary award that recognizes significant contributions to literature written in Romance languages.
- Who is Francisco Noa? Francisco Noa is a Mozambican literary critic, essayist, and professor who advocates for understanding the complexities of human identities and coexistence.
