Scientific event

The Centre for Research in Social and Cultural Anthropology (CRASC) celebrates the anniversary of Science Day (Yaoum El-Ilm), which falls on April 16th of each year. On this occasion, the Centre is scheduling a series of panel discussions proposed by its research divisions and units on Sunday, April 16, 2023. The research themes of these sessions are closely linked to the core problems and areas of the ongoing research projects.

Additionally, a forum will be held to present the book published by the Centre, titled: "Artificial Intelligence Applied to the Algerian Company: Managerial, Organizational, and Educational Impacts", on Monday, April 17, 2023, at the Centre's headquarters (Conference Hall).


Argumentaire1
Research Division: Socio-anthropology of History and Memory
"Who is Ibn Badis in Algerian Memory?"

Nations rely on a set of concepts to construct their national memory, drawing upon elements that constitute the state's historical, political, social, and even religious symbolism. Research reveals that prominent figures play a significant role in shaping the diverse identities of societies and nations. This is largely due to their connection to collective memory, where "sites of memory" transcend their material reality to acquire a symbolic dimension.
Focusing on national figures helps elucidate how Algeria navigates its political, social, religious, and cultural diversity—particularly regarding figures whose symbolic significance has evolved from the local to the official national level. The figure of Abdelhamid Ben Badis holds a unique place in both the national and local memory of Algerians, embodying specific societal perceptions and representations across religious, political, and social dimensions. We are thus dealing with a figure inextricably linked to specific beliefs, orientations, and cultural values, sustained by his enduring presence in the Algerian collective memory. Consequently, this discussion will explore the factors that have established this figure as part of Algeria's national memory, as well as the various perceptions and representations surrounding him today, with a specific focus on Abdelhamid Ben Badis.

Argumentaire 02

Research Division: Anthropology of Education and Training Systems

"Violence in the School Environment in Algeria: Actors, Indicators, and Content – ​​Elements for Discussion"

The quality of education represents one of the challenges facing educational institutions in Algeria as they fulfill their pedagogical and institutional roles (Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 4, 2030 Agenda). This broad endeavor builds upon positive results achieved in recent years—outcomes that reflect public policy commitments made since independence to democratize education and guarantee the right to it for all Algerians. These efforts have led to high school enrollment rates during the compulsory education stage and have placed Algeria at the forefront of nations that successfully met their education-related commitments under the Millennium Development Goals (2000–2015).
In this context, numerous social science studies focusing on schools and their stakeholders have highlighted the social changes confronting educational institutions. These changes may hinder the transition from the quantitative challenges associated with enrollment rates to the challenges inherent in the "quality school" model. Key among these changes are:
- A shift in the social and pedagogical roles of educational institutions and their stakeholders. This aligns with the "decline of the former institutional program"—which had socially and culturally defined the roles assigned to educational institutions, particularly regarding social mobility and the achievement of social success (where social success stems from academic success)—and signals the emergence of an "alternative institutional program" driven by social and educational stakes, the contours of which remain incompletely formed within the educational landscape. The comparisons drawn by educational stakeholders—including educators, parents, and students—between the "school of the past" and the "school of today" constitute an interpretive discourse. When addressing educational memory, this discourse transcends mere social imagery to encompass objective elements that confirm the reality of the change experienced by schools and their stakeholders—a change whose parameters must be clearly defined.
- School stakeholders agree that educational institutions and their institutional (socialization-oriented) programs constantly face challenges arising from generational dynamics. This issue is not limited to learners (successive generations of students) but extends to new generations of teachers and the staff responsible for overseeing the educational process as a whole.
- Given that the generational factor is a tangible sociological reality, it inevitably entails shifts in attitudes—manifested in social practices, mental representations, and discourses—as well as in expectations regarding the school's role and the status of knowledge and education within it. In short, the perspectives held by certain educational stakeholders concerning the school’s mission, roles, and actors offer insight into a structural situation that signals profound social transformations—transformations that extend well beyond the school and its stakeholders alone.
- Like other societal actors, schools and their educational and social stakeholders faced the challenges of the health crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated an interruption of the educational process to mitigate health risks. Field studies have shown that the management of education during and after the pandemic was significantly influenced by the health crisis, disrupting established relational norms within the school environment. An analysis of data held by the Ministry of National Education regarding forms of violence within the school environment over a sixteen-year period (2000–2016) reveals the following major trends:
- The highest proportion of violence in the school environment occurs at the middle school level, accounting for 52% of all recorded cases, compared to approximately 13% at the secondary level and 35% at the primary level.
- The majority (80%) of recorded violent incidents—spanning verbal, physical, and psychological forms—occur between students themselves; conflicts involving a teacher and a student that escalate into violence account for 18% of cases (with 2% involving other actors).
- Data analysis indicates that 75% of violence in schools takes the form of verbal and psychological abuse (including insults, threats, and refusal to comply with institutional and educational rules); meanwhile, physical violence accounts for 17.8% of total recorded cases.
- It is also worth noting that middle schools suffer more than other levels from classroom overcrowding and record the highest rates of early school leaving and low completion rates. Furthermore, data points to a growing trend of drug and hallucinogenic pill use (involving student-adolescents).
- Age, gender, geographical location (school setting), and educational level constitute significant socio-demographic factors for analyzing violence indicators and mapping the manifestations of violence within the school environment. - A discussion on violence within the school environment, in its general sense, necessitates distinguishing between instances of violence occurring within the classroom (the primary setting), those taking place in other school facilities (the secondary setting), and incidents recorded in the immediate vicinity of the educational institution (the tertiary setting).
This internal seminar, organized by the Department of the Anthropology of Education and Training Systems, aims to further the discussion on a key research theme within its academic program—"The School and Actors in the Educational Field in Algeria." It sheds light on the phenomenon of "violence in the school environment" through critical analyses of both theoretical and field-based approaches, seeking to understand the educational and social transformations characterizing the school of the third millennium.

Argumentaire 03

Research Section: Cities and Regions

"The Mediterranean Games in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic"

The concept of organizing the Mediterranean Games emerged in the 1920s, yet it did not materialize until 1951, driven by the initiative of Mohammed Taher Pasha. The inaugural edition was held in Alexandria, featuring 734 athletes from 10 countries. Since then, the event has continued to grow in scale and significance, championing core sporting values—such as sportsmanship, competition, merit, mutual cooperation, international brotherhood, and peace.
Following the 1975 edition, Algeria secured the honor of hosting the Mediterranean Games for a second time in Oran (scheduled for 2021). This represents a major victory—not only in the realm of sports but also politically. As Mr. Hosni Mibarbache, Deputy Mayor of Oran, stated (as quoted by *Le Monde*), "It is a political victory aimed at restoring the country's standing on the international stage." It is worth noting that the Mediterranean Games constitute a "mega-sporting event"—defined by Müller (2015) as "fixed-duration, traveling events that attract large numbers of visitors, garner extensive media coverage, entail high costs, and exert a significant impact on infrastructure, built environments, and local populations." These Games also offer an opportunity to strengthen and enhance the relationship between sport and society; they not only foster the consolidation of


social ties but also enable the mobilization of stakeholders across various sectors—institutions, citizens, and civil society—around shared goals. Exceptional Circumstances and Exceptional Measures
In early 2020, the world witnessed the emergence of an unprecedented health crisis following the outbreak of COVID-19. Due to the virus's high transmissibility, governments were compelled to implement exceptional measures, ranging up to full lockdowns. Algeria—part of an ecosystem defined by interdependence and globalization—recorded its first infection on February 25, 2020. This situation led to various consequences, including the postponement of the Mediterranean Games from their originally scheduled date in 2021 to the summer of 2022.
Consequently, and given the unpredictability of the virus's impact, the city of Oran has had to adapt to the pandemic by establishing a comprehensive set of preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus.
Against this backdrop, we examine the measures adopted by decision-makers to manage this sporting event—aiming to ensure health safety while preserving the celebratory spirit of the Games, as well as the associated social representations, attitudes, and public sentiment. The field study to be conducted by the "Cities and Territories" department seeks to understand the reality facing institutions and stakeholders from a socio-anthropological perspective.

Argumentaire 04
Research Division: The Imaginary and Social Processes

"What is a cultural frame of reference, and what are its levels? How can this be examined in the context of present-day Algeria and linked to the issue of recognition?"

Answering these questions requires constructing the research topic and identifying viable theoretical and empirical entry points for its analysis. It also demands the ability to overcome epistemological obstacles—specifically those related to the "familiar" and the "taken-for-granted"—which limit our capacity to perceive reality and understand the self.
Constructing the topic also entails defining culture and "frames of reference," delineating levels of recognition, and selecting prior studies that allow for a comprehensive "framing" of the subject. To this end, we have deliberately chosen to engage with the work of: Abu al-Qasim Sa'dallah, who focused on long-term cultural history; Abdelkader Djeghloul, who highlighted marginalized and forgotten aspects of our culture (specifically the concept of *l’ancrage* or "rootedness"); and Hadj Miliani, who explored various artistic expressions—theater, cinema, music, the novel—and raised questions regarding the "in-between" spaces (*l’entre-deux*) connecting different fields and actors. However, the issue of cultural frames of reference extends beyond academic research; it is inextricably linked to practices, lived experiences, discourses, and cultural policies.
We begin with several general, self-evident premises that frame the status of cultural reference points in Algeria: the diachronic dimension, pointing to Algeria’s long history (ancient, modern, and contemporary reference points—the issue of depth); cultural plurality and diversity (the issue of difference); and the impact of globalization and new internet-based media (transnational reference points). The priority remains primarily methodological, given the large volume of research conducted on culture in Algeria. The key challenge lies in how to extract the reference points we are seeking from this body of work, as well as from official and unofficial discourses.