The Uprisings of the Rif Area in Morocco: From a Protest Movement to a Social Movement

The recent uprisings happening in the north region of Morocco (Rif area) signifies a broad title of a deep political developmental crisis. Despite the overwhelming protests that took place during the “Arab Spring” in 2011 with the 20^th February movement, the current uprisings in the Rif area reflects a profound transformation in the social, political and cultural structure of the Moroccan society. Without ignoring the linkages between the reasons of 20^th February uprisings and the current one, the Rif protests confirm the birth of a new distinct and independent social movement from political, trade union, and associative involvements. An intersecting number of factors led to the emergence of this social movement. Starting from the political one represented in the unsuccessful process of development and democratization, to the social factor manifested in the large number of social issues: unemployment, corruption, discrimination…etc Such aspects are to be considered in light of the increased awareness and social consciousness of the socio-political atmosphere especially thanks to social media interactive environment among the youths. These factors and others push us to ask questions about the explanation of the emergence of this social movement? And to what extent can we consider it as such? And how does the Rif uprisings interact with the state and the rest of political actors? What challenges and prospects can we anticipate based on the ongoing series of events? All these questions are the subject of a direct ethnographic approach to explore the manifestations of such uprising through a number of interviews with a number of Actors involved in the daily dynamics of the events to provide a clear and nuanced view to the topic.