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Introduction: The Straightjacket of Resistance

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Rap Beyond Resistance

Part of the book series: Pop Music, Culture and Identity ((PMCI))

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Abstract

This chapter provides an entry point to the key concept framing the discussion and its core arguments that unfold across the book. What does resistance mean when related to youth culture in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region? The chapter addresses this question by looking critically at the recurrent use of the trope of resistance to frame youth artistic expressions, not only in Morocco but also in many other Arab and Muslim countries. Many accounts portray rappers as significant political actors by mainly focusing on those who fit narrow meanings of resistance. This chapter presents examples from journalism and academia suggesting that artistic productions that do not fit this view are not considered as cultural resistance. It therefore sets the tone for the main argument of the book, namely the need to think about culture in the MENA region beyond narratives of co-option and resistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Deparment of Digital Humanities, King’s College London, London, UK

    Cristina Moreno Almeida

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  1. Cristina Moreno Almeida
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Correspondence to Cristina Moreno Almeida .

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Moreno Almeida, C. (2017). Introduction: The Straightjacket of Resistance. In: Rap Beyond Resistance. Pop Music, Culture and Identity. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60183-0_1

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