Euro-Maghreb Relations: From Colonialism to Neo-Colonialism

Abstract

This study aims at highlighting the nature of Euro-Maghreb relations; it tries to use the Neo-Colonialism approach as a way to understand this relation. The Maghreb as socially constructed by the European mind has been defined in a useful manner for Europeans and it took away the Maghreb ability to define or represent itself. The result of the representation of Europe “Ego” as civilized and the “Alter” as uncivilized was the direct colonialism. The results of neo-representation “developed” and “underdeveloped” are the new forms of colonialism that manifested in the asymatric economic relations (fre>e trade agreement), the tourism as a post-colonial industry , illegal immigration , the militarization of borders and the externalization of norms. The study emphisis the necessity of an epistemic building of Maghreb community as a prestage for Maghreb cooperation in order to emancipate from the core-preiphery relation and an effective way to build a symmetric relation with the European Union.