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Article dans une revue The British-Yemeni Society Journal Année : 2018

« The Role of Music and Poetry in the Revolutionary Transformations and Political Mobilization in Yemen (2011-2015) »

Résumé

Since the beginning of the 21st century, traditional Yemeni music has undergone significant upheavals as a result of the country’s integration in the world economy and its communications network. But the political developments which took place since February 2011 speeded up these transformations. During this period, Yemeni youth were involved in intense political awakening and also, to some extent, in the emergence of new cultural norms. Long meetings in the so-called Change Square (Sâhat al-Taghyeer), near Sanaa University, lasting at night, created the possibility of many exchanges of views between groups representing different genders, age and socio-religious affiliations, as well as between individuals. The comic songs and performances gained momentum against the Power, as well as agit’prop and new slogan repertories invented by the youths. Thanks to their great liveliness, Yemeni music and poetry adapted to these movements: traditional repertories were used by the movement for democratic rights, and through this process, they were modernized. In parallel, the most commercial forms of world music which had reached the country even before the events, played a certain role, like Rap, and where partially reappropriated by local performers. Unfortunately, with the development of the armed conflict in the following years (specially from 2014), music was also used to mobilize people in a political and sectarian strife, by both the main belligerents: the Huthî shiah movement which used a lot of traditional tribal songs, and the “Loyalists”, often represented by extreme sunni militias, ressorting to more modernized nashîd already developed by the salafi jihadists. Whatever communalist fractures the Yemeni suffered by the social fabric during this no ending conflict, all wars eventually ending, future generations will have to remember these diverse modes of expressions as part of their cultural history, for the best and for the worst…
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halshs-03904352, version 1 (16-12-2022)

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  • HAL Id : halshs-03904352 , version 1

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Jean Lambert. « The Role of Music and Poetry in the Revolutionary Transformations and Political Mobilization in Yemen (2011-2015) ». The British-Yemeni Society Journal, 2018, 26,, pp.20-31. ⟨halshs-03904352⟩
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