Mustapha Ben Ismaïl (with Arthur Asseraf)

Apr 11, 2023

Discussing the rise and fall of Mustapha Ben Ismaïl, a street beggar turned Prime Minister linked to the King, and his disastrous policies impacting Tunisia's independence. Unpacking complex relationships, power struggles, and societal norms in same-sex interactions during that era. Exploring Mustafa Ganesmani's life, from French recognition to tragic end, and societal views on his behaviors. Book promotion for 'Bad Gaze, A Homosexual History' and colonialism's impact on LGBTQ identities in Tunisia. Delving into historical and cultural contexts of sexuality to challenge simplistic judgments.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

Origin Stories: The Early Life of a Controversial Figure

03:01 • 10min

The Complex Relationships and Power Dynamics of the Bay

13:09 • 22min

Mustafa Ganesmani: Complex Relationships and Tragic End

35:15 • 13min

Listener Appreciation and Book Promotion

48:04 • 2min

Colonialism, Tunisia, and Homosexual Identities

49:42 • 9min

Exploring the Nuances of Historical and Cultural Contexts in Sexuality

58:47 • 4min

Today we welcome special guest (and Associate Professor in History at the University of Cambridge) Arthur Asseraf to talk about Mustapha Ben Ismaïl, a terrifyingly ambitious twink who rose from being an illiterate street beggar to Prime Minister on the strength of the king's love for him –– and whose disastrous policies helped bring an end to Tunisia's independence.

Arthur's Twitter.

Arthur's faculty page.

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SOURCES:

Ramy Khouili & Daniel Levine-Spound, Article 230: A History of the Criminalization of Homosexuality in Tunisia, available online: https://article230.com/en/article-320-eng/… Marcel Gandolphe, ‘Une figure tunisienne: Mustapha ben Ismaïl’, Revue tunisienne, 144, mars-avril 1921, p.83-87 Khayr al-Din al-Tunsi, Memoirs, (ed. Mohamed-Salah Mzali and Jean Pignon), Tunis, 1971. Ibn Abi Dhiaf, Ahmad, Ithaf Ahl al-zaman bi Akhbar muluk Tunis wa 'Ahd el-Aman (إتحاف أهل الزمان بأخبار ملوك تونس وعهد الأمان), (1990 edition), Tunis. Jean Ganiage, Les Origines du Protectorat français en Tunisie, Tunis, 1959. Guellouz, Masmoudi, Smida, Histoire générale de la Tunisie: t.3 les temps modernes, Tunis, 1983. Khaled el Rouayheb, Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World, 1500-1800, Chicago, 2005. Jocelyne Dakhlia, L’Empire des passions: l'arbitraire politique en Islam, Paris, 2005. Kenneth Perkins, A History of Modern Tunisia, Cambridge University Press, 2014. Abdelhamid Larguèche, Les Ombres de Tunis: pauvres, marginaux et minorités aux XVIIIe et XIXe siècles, Tunis, 2000. Abdelwahab Bouhdiba, La sexualité en islam, Paris, 1975. Nizar ben Saad, Lella Kmar, le destin tourmenté d’une nymphe du sérail (1862-1942), Tunis. Robert Aldrich, 'Homosexuality in the French Colonies', Journal of Homosexuality, 41:3-4, 2002 Joseph Massad, Desiring Arabs, Chicago, 2007. Sirat Mustafa bin Isma'il (سيرة مصطفى بن اسماعيل ( edited Rashad al-Imam, Tunis, 1981 Our intro and outro music are, respectively, Arpeggia Colorix, by Yann Terrien, and a tune written for us by DJ Michael Oswell Graphic Designer.