مجلة قبس للدراسات الإنسانية والاجتماعية
Volume 10, Numéro 1, Pages 1400-1415
2026-06-08

Hamouda Bensaï: Trajectory And Challenges (1902–1998)

Authors : Louennas Haoues .

Abstract

Abstract: Throughout its extensive history, spanning from antiquity through the medieval and contemporary eras, Algeria has produced numerous prominent intellectuals who have left an indelible mark on the nation’s historical record. Among these icons is Hamouda Bensaï, who emerged during the first half of the 20th century amidst French colonial hegemony and the repressive policies enforced against the Algerian people. Despite facing a superior military power, the Algerian populace engaged in sustained resistance following the initial occupation in 1830s. While the Aures Revolution of 1916 represented the final major popular uprising of its kind, it significantly broadened the scope for political and cultural resistance. This movement manifested through literature, correspondence, diplomatic delegations, the press, and the formation of political associations. The French administration sought to systematically dismantle these efforts through force, including summary executions, imprisonment, and exile. This article examines the life of Hamouda Bensaï, a preeminent Algerian thinker whose life was decimated by these colonial authorities. Through the systematic application of torture, Bensaï suffered severe psychological trauma and periods of mental instability that profoundly impacted his personal and professional trajectory.

Keywords

Keywords: Hamouda Bensaï; Association of Algerian Muslim Scholars; France; Colonial Policy; Intellectual History; Cultural Resistance; Algerians.