The Impacts of Politics on the Circulation of Charles Dickens's Novels in Algeria from 1878 to 1990

Abstract: This article examines the impacts of politics on the dissemination of Dickens's original novels, and French and Arabic translations of his works, in Algeria from 1878 to 1990. The findings of this study show that the circulation of Dickens's literature in Algeria was influenced by French colonial policy. The influence of French colonialism is seen in the scorched earth and integration policies from the 1870s to the 1960s, which led to the reinforcement of Francophilia, as well as to the burning of Dickens's works, among many others, in the fire of 1962 at the Library of the University of Algiers. In the postcolonial period, Algerians have been introduced to Dickens via Arabic translations due to the policy of Arabization, which aimed at promoting Arabic rather than French. Contemporary writers such as Fadhila El-Farouk have been influenced by Dickens's work through Arabic translation.