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At the Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP), Mohamed Badine El Yattioui conducts several research projects, organizes seminars and teaches in English and Spanish. Born in France in 1983, the multilingual researcher works today on bringing countries together through his academic work. In addition his political sciences studies, the Moroccan national speaks at least four languages (Arabic, French, English and Spanish).
Immigration : A family tradition
The parents of Mohamed Badine El Yattioui are among the first Moroccan nationals to settle down in France after the Kingdom was proclaimed independent. Indeed, the researcher's maternal grandfather moved to Lyon in 1959, when his mother was only six years old. A mother from Tangier and a Riffian father, Mohamed Badine El Yattioui was born in a family where immigrating and traveling was normal.
After graduating high school, the French-Moroccan national received his bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in history at the University Jean Moulin Lyon III. He continued his studies and got a PhD in political sciences, specializing in relations between Latin America and the United States, and then he worked for the University he studied at for five years.
During his research visits, the young researcher moved to Cuba, Colombia, then to Oxford where he carried out his projects in a center of Latin American studies. Later, he worked as a visiting scholar at UDLAP. «At the end of my stay, the dean and the president of the university asked me to join their team. I accepted their offer and since then I have been working as an associate professor, and lecturer in political sciences and international relations,» he told Yabiladi.
Puebla, a third home
UDLAP is based on an American educational system, which suits the preferences of Mohamed Badine El Yattioui :
«I choose my own research projects and the courses I want to teach. So I deliver lectures in Global Security, Geopolitics, Global Governance in Spanish and English».
Based now in Puebla, the researcher has created his own projects at the university : NEJMAROC, a Moroccan center for research on globalization and ILM, an observatory on the Muslim World.
The first project is an international think-tank created almost a year ago, through which academics working in France, Morocco and Mexico can collaborate and work together, explained the lecturer.
«We published our first review last February. We tackle all issues related to Morocco through academic research : public policies, the economy, international relations …».
The first edition of the journal focused mainly on the environment. A theme that was approached «in a multidisciplinary way and from a sociological point of view». NEJMAROC also organizes conferences, even outside Puebla.
«We organize conferences, like the one held in Puebla on elections in the Arab world after the Arab Spring. In December, in Lyon we held conferences on relations between Morocco and African countries».
El Yattioui’s second project is more global. The idea crossed his mind when he first went to Mexico : «There were no academics doing research on the Muslim world». Alongside his Mexican colleagues who studied in Muslim countries and speak Arabic, Mohamed Badine collaborates with his counterparts in Turkey, Pakistan, Morocco and Algeria to «issue two journals».
Connecting Morocco to France and Mexico
Despite his busy schedule and the long distance flights he needs to take in order to visit Morocco, Mohamed Badine remained connected to his mother land throughout the years.
«I was born in France but the links that tie me to Morocco have never been cut. I was raised by parents who taught me Arabic. During my childhood, I used to visit Tangier three times a year. When I started working in France, I did not abandon that tradition. Today, while living in Mexico, I visit Morocco twice a year».
In Tangier, Mohamed Badine taught geopolitics at a school for six months before returning to Puebla.
«Mexicans are very helpful. Even if it is said that Mexico is facing a lot of problems, in Puebla, life is safe. However, my dream is to return to Morocco and be able to work on my projects and do research there».
