The International Zone of Tangier in the Eyes of the Self and the Other

During colonial occupation in Morocco, Tangier, unlike other Moroccan cities, was governed by an international administration of eight European countries. The International Zone was a melting pot that brought together native Moroccans and European residents who traveled to the city post-World War II. This unique social context gave rise to two distinct literary voices: one represented by the American novelist Paul Bowles and the other by the Moroccan oral storytellers of Tangier. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of these two literary representations of the same place and era, juxtaposing American and Moroccan fiction. The central argument is that these writings present contrasting yet interdependent portrayals, reflecting the dual realities that coexisted in the international zone: the native experience and the foreign tourist’s perspective. By examining these parallel narratives, this study reveals the complex, multifaceted nature of life in Tangier during this period.