Algerian myths dictionnary
contributors
Coordinateur :
Abderrahmane BOUZIDA
abstract
This field study seeks to contribute to the enrichment of Algeria’s cultural heritage through the collection, critical editing, and documentation of myths. Such an approach enables researchers to examine myths as autonomous cultural systems that interact with a variety of social and cultural frameworks. The study is based on the observation that, despite the central place occupied by myth in anthropological, sociological, religious, and psychological research internationally, academic interest in this subject remains limited in Algeria.
Furthermore, this contribution highlights the evolution of scholarly interest in myth within the Western world since the nineteenth century, marked by the establishment of specialized research centers and laboratories. It also examines the growing interest in myth studies across the Arab world over recent decades, reflected in the proliferation of specialized research and academic publications. The study concludes that myth research remains an underdeveloped field in Algeria and calls for greater academic engagement, which could foster the advancement of cultural and anthropological studies while enhancing knowledge of the country’s symbolic and intangible heritage.