The Voice of the Rural: Music, Poetry, and Masculinity among Migrant Moroccan Men in Umbria

Alessandra Ciucci's book explores the lives of Moroccan workers in Italy and how they use music and poetry to create a sense of home and belonging in a foreign and inhospitable nation. It also uncovers how this culture of belonging is tied to the reclamation of a noble and virtuous masculine identity that is inaccessible to Moroccan migrants in Italy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 25 May 2022
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Umbria, a picturesque region in Italy known for its rolling hills and medieval villages, holds a different allure for migrant Moroccan men. While most Americans associate Umbria with its scenic landscapes, these men know it as a place where they find employment in tobacco fields, construction sites, small industries, and outdoor weekly markets. Marginalized and far from their homes, they turn to the traditions of music and poetry from their rural upbringing, known as 'arubiya, to create a sense of home and belonging in a foreign and inhospitable nation. In her book, Alessandra Ciucci delves into the lives of these Moroccan workers, exploring how they use a specific musical style associated with the rural to forge a connection with their roots and establish a sense of community in their adopted country.

Through her research, Ciucci uncovers the intricate relationship between this culture of belonging and the struggles of migration. She reveals how migrant Moroccan men in Italy are reclaiming a noble and virtuous masculine identity that is often inaccessible to them in their homeland. The Voice of the Rural serves as a powerful lens through which we can understand the contemporary experiences of migrant Moroccan men. By examining their imagined relationship to the rural through sound, the book sheds new light on the urgent issues of migration and belonging, offering a deeper understanding of the complexities and challenges faced by these individuals in their search for a new home.

Weight: 380g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226818696