Moha Ennaji () is a Moroccan linguist, author, political critic, and civil society activist. He is a university professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University at Fes, where he has worked for over 30 years. In addition to his publications in linguistics, he has written on language, education, migration, social movements, and gender, and is the author or editor of over 20 books.
His work includes Social Movements and Democratization in North Africa 1912-2024 (Palgrave, London/ New York, 2026), Moroccan Muslim Migrant in Europe (Palgrave, London/ New York, 2014), Multiculturalism and Democracy in North Africa (Routledge, London/New York, 2014), Multilingualism, Cultural Identity and Education in Morocco (Springer, New York, 2005), "Language and Gender in the Mediterranean Region", International Journal of the Sociology of Language issue 190, editor (The Hague, 2008), Migration and Gender in Morocco, co-authored (Red Sea Press, 2008), Women Writing Africa, the Northern Region, co-edited (The Feminist Press, 2009). Women in the Middle East, co-edited (Routledge, 2010), Gender and Violence in the Middle East (Routledge, 2011).
Moha Ennaji has been a professor at Fès University and a visiting professor at Rutgers University. He is the president of the South North Center for Intercultural Dialogue and a founding president of the International Institute for Languages and Cultures at Fès, Morocco. His writing has also appeared in international publications including Common Ground News, Project Syndicate, Al-Safir, Al-Ahram, Khaleej Times, Japan Times, The Boston Globe and in many Arabic newspapers.
Since the 1980s, Ennaji has been working for the revival of Berber (Amazigh) language in Morocco and the protection of human rights, especially women’s rights in the Middle East and North Africa region. His work has been in fields such as Arabic and Berber linguistics and the sociology of language.
Publications
Edited books:
Les nouveaux défis de la migration Maghreb-Europe ( Peter Lang, Lausanne, 2024, French Edition) Managing Cultural Diversity in the Mediterranean Region (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle , 2020) Multiculturalism and Democracy in North Africa (Routledge, London/New York, 2014) Multilingualism, Cultural Identity and Education in Morocco (2005). New York: Springer Language and Gender in the Mediterranean Region (ed.), IJSL Issue 190. 2008. Mouton de Gruyter Co-author, Migration and Gender in Morocco (2008). Co-authored. Renton, NJ: Red Sea Press Multiculturalisme et démocratie dans le monde musulman (ed.), (2010), Fès : Imagerie Pub. Co-edited Women in the Middle East and North Africa.(2010) London: Routledge Gender and Violence in the Middle East. Co-edited (2011) London: Routledge
Books
Written books: Social Movements and Democratization in North Africa 1912-2024 (Palgrave, London/ New York, 2026). Moroccan Muslim Migrant in Europe (Palgrave, London/ New York, 2014). L’été berbère (2026), Paris: L’Harmattan. Trahison et Châtiment (2024), Paris: L’Harmattan. Douce Lumière (2022), Rabat : Marsam. L'olivier de la sagesse (2017), Paris: Karthala. Muslim Moroccan Migrants in Europe (2014):.http://www.palgrave.com/us/book/9781137476487 New York: Pal grave Gender and Migration (in co-authorship with F.Sadiqi) (2008). Trenton:.africaworldpressbooks.com Africa World Press Multilingualism, Cultural Identity and Education in Morocco (2005). New York: Springer. A Grammar of Moroccan Arabic (2004a). Fès: University of Fès Publications (in co-authorship with A. Makhoukh, H. Es-saiydy, M. Moubtassime, S. Slaoui. A Grammar of Amazigh (Berber) (2004b). Fès: University of Fès Publications (in co-authorship with Fatima Sadiqi). Applications of Modern Linguistics (1994), in co-authorship with F. Sadiqi, Casablanca: Afrique Orient. Introduction to Modern Linguistics (1992), in co-authorship with F. Sadiqi, Casablanca: Afrique Orient. Contrastive Analysis (1985), Wurzburg: Konigshausen & Neumann.
Articles and Chapters in Gender Studies and Migration
Mernissi's impact on Islamic feminism: a critique of the religious approach, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 2022, v. 49, n. 4, p. 629. Women and Political Participation in Morocco and North African States. Chapter published in Gender and Power, Edited by Mino Vianello and Mary Hawkesworth, pages 35–52. New York:Palgrave, 2016. Recruitment of Foreign Male and Female Fighters to Jihad. In International Review of Sociology. Vol. 26, Number 3. November 2016, pp. 546–557. Women, Gender, and Politics in Morocco. In Social Sciences. Vol 5, Number 75. November 2016, pp. 2–8. Violence Against Underage Domestic Girls in Morocco, In Salhi, Z. (Ed.). Gender and Violence in Muslim Societies. London: I.B.Tauris. 2013. Pages: 132-160 Arab Women’s Unfinished Revolution. The Project Syndicate. 2013. “Women’s Activism and the New Family Code Reforms in Morocco” The IUP Journal of History and Culture, Vol. VI, No. 1, January 2012, pp. 52–70 Ennaji, M. (2012). Media and Moroccan Migrants. Journal of New Media Studies at MENA. Issue 1: 9-21. Ennaji, M. (2012). Undocumented Labor Migration from Morocco to Europe: An African Perspective. In Okome, M.O. and Vaughan, O. (Eds.). Transnational Africa and Globalization. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. The Modern Islamists of the Maghreb. The Project Syndicate. 2012. Ennaji, M. (2010). Moroccan Migrants in Europe and Islamophobia. In Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Vol.30, No 1: 14-20. Ennaji, M. (2010). Migration marocaine et co-développement à l’heure de la crise financière. In Migration, Droits de l’Homme et Développement. Coordination : M. Lahlou & M. Zouiten. Rabat: Faculté de Droit, Souissi. Pages 197-209. Reform without Regime Change. Common Ground News. 2010 Civil Society Transforms Morocco. Common Ground News. 2010. “Multilinguisme, Genre et Participation Politique au Maroc. », in Diogène No 225, pages 56–69. 2009. “Multilingualism, Citizenship and Berber Education” (2009). Mediterranean Journal of Education Studies. “Women’s NGOs and Social Change in Morocco”, in Women in the Middle East and North Africa, Edited by F.Sadiqi and M. Ennaji (2010). London: Routledge. “Steps to the Integration of Moroccan Women in Development” (2008). In British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 35:3, 339-348 “Representations of women in Moroccan Proverbs” (2008). In Language and Gender in the Mediterranean Region (M. Ennaji, Editor). IJSL Issue. The Hague: Mouton de Gruyter. “ Women’s Activism, Social Change and the Feminization of Public Space in Morocco” in co-authorship with F. Sadiqi (in JMEWS, Vol 2, No 2: 86-114, 2006) “Social Policy in Morocco : A Historical and Analytical Approach” (2006). In V.Moghadam and Massoud, K. (Editors). Social Policy in the Middle East. London: Palgrave. “Women’s NGOs and Civil Society in Morocco”(2006). In Femmes Méditerranéennes et leurs Droits (F.Sadiqi, Editor). Fès : Publications of the University of Fès. Pages :81-92. « La Femme Marocaine et la Mondialisation, in L’Europe : Une Chance pour la Femme Musulmane ? », La Pensée et les hommes, (2004), pp. 57–74. “Women and Development in Morocco”. Mediterranean Women, F. Sadiqi (ed) (2004). Fès: Fès-Saiss Publications. “Civil Society, Gender and Social Cohesion”. In M. Ennaji (ed), Civil Society, Gender and Sustainable Development (2004b). Fès: Fès-Saiss Publications. “Human Rights and Cultural Relativism in North Africa”. Dahesh Voice, (2006). “ What Role Can English Departments Play in their Socio-economic Environment?”(1998). In Linguistics and English Literature in Maghreb Universities, pp. 235–240. Fès: Publication of the Faculty of Letters. "The Moroccan University: Is there an alternative?" in Interdisciplinarity and the University, publications of the Faculty of Letters, Rabat,1997 "The Role of Education in the Socio-economic Context of the Maghreb", in Proceedings of the 9th Mate Conference, Agadir 1989c.
Articles and Chapters in Sociolinguistics
“Urbanization and Changes in Arabic: The Case of Casablanca. In David Singleton, Joshua A. Fishman, Larissa Aronin & Muiris Ó Laoire (Eds.). Current Multilingualism: A New Linguistic Dispensation (2013).The Hague: Mouton de Gruyter. « Berber in Contact with Maghrebi Colloquial Arabic : A Case of Language Revitalization.” In Languages and Linguistics (2013), 32: 39-58. “Language and Nationalism in Morocco” (in co-authorship with F.Sadiqi). (2008).In Language and Nationalism in Africa (A. Simpson, Editor) Oxford University Press. “Arabic Sociolinguistics and Cultural Diversity in Morocco” (2008).In Perspectives in Arabic Linguistics (A.Benmamou, Editor). Benjamins. “Representations of women in Moroccan Proverbs” (2008). In Language and Gender in the Mediterranean Region (M. Ennaji, Editor). IJSL Issue. The Hague: Mouton de Gruyter. “Amazigh Language: Facts and Prospects”, (2006). In a Fetscherift to Dean Mohamed Chad. Fès: Publications of the University of Fès. “Multilinguisme et Genre au Maroc” (2004a). In Languages and Linguistics 14: 105-119. “Standardisation du Lexique Amazighe : Le Cas des Néologismes” (2004b). In Standardisation de l’Amazighe.Rabat : Publication of the Royal Institute of Berber Culture, pp.246-259. “Attitudes to Berber and Tifinagh Script” (2003a).In Proceedings of the conference on Amazigh Language and Culture. Ifrane: Al-Akhawayn University Publication. “Reflections on Arabisation and Education in Morocco (2003b).In The Moroccan Character. Studies in Honour of Mohammed Abu Talib, Edited by Youssi, A. et al. Rabat: Amapatril, pp.37-48. “Berber Language and the Consolidation of Democracy” (2003c) (in Arabic).In the Moroccan weekly Al-Ittihad Al-Ishtiraki Al Usbuu’i of Jan.31-Feb.6, 2003. “Education et Langues Maternelles: l’Exemple de l’Amazighe” (2003d), In Proceedings of the Conference by Fondation BMCE, 17 juin 2003, pp. 91–100. “L’Amazigh Composante Incontournable de la Culture Marocaine” (2003e).In the Moroccan daily Le Matin du Sahara. Edition du Samedi, 15 November 2003 “Language Contact, Arabization Policy and Education in Morocco” (2002a).In Language Contact and Language Conflict in Arabic, ed. By Aleya Rouchdy, 3-23. London: Routledge/Curzon. “ Comment on Hudson’s Outline of a Theory of Diglossia” (2002b).In International Journal of the Sociology of Language, ed. By Joshua A. Fishman, 157: 71-83. “ Arabisation (2002c). In Francophone Studies. Edited by Margaret A. Majumdar (2002), 14. London: Arnold. “ On the Main Differences between Standard and Moroccan Arabic Complex Sentences" (2002d). In Aspects of the Dialects of Arabic Today. Edited by Abderrahim Youssi et al. Rabat: Amapatril. “Writing Berber: Towards a Unified Orthography” (2002e).In Writing African, pp. 101-115. Edited by Prah, K.K. (2002). Cape Town: CASAS Publications. “North Africa” (2002f). In Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History (2002f). Edited by Zeleza, P. (2002). London: Routledge. “De la Diglossie à la Quadriglossie". In Languages and Linguistics (2001) 8: 49-64. “On Preserving Arabic and Berber Oral Tradition in North Africa” (2000). In Languages and Linguistics 6, 79-87. “Language and Ethnic Identity, The Arab World (Maghreb and Near East) (1999a). In Handbook of Language and Ethnic Identity, ed. By Joshua, A. Fishman, 382-395, Oxford: Oxford University Press.global.oup.com/academic “Language and Ideology: Evidence from Media Discourse in Morocco” (1999b). In Social Dynamics Vol. 25, No. 1: 150-161. “The Sociology of Berber: Change and Continuity” (1997). In Berber Sociolinguistics. Special Issue. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 123, 23-40. “Arabic Varieties in North Africa” (1998). In Notes and Records 7: 10. Cape Town: CASAS Publications.