[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Menu Bar” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#F7F7F5″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” sticky_position=”top” motion_trigger_start=”top” saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” background__sticky_enabled=”on|sticky” background_color__sticky=”#F3F3F1″ background_enable_color__sticky=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”90%” max_width=”2560px” custom_padding=”1.25vw||1.25vw||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_menu menu_id=”161″ menu_style=”centered” active_link_color=”#313436″ dropdown_menu_bg_color=”#cba052″ dropdown_menu_line_color=”#d7d2cb” dropdown_menu_text_color=”#313436″ dropdown_menu_active_link_color=”#313436″ mobile_menu_bg_color=”#ffffff” mobile_menu_text_color=”#2f2f2f” menu_icon_color=”#25282a” mobile_menu_bg_color_tablet=”#ffffff” mobile_menu_bg_color_phone=”#ffffff” mobile_menu_bg_color_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” menu_font=”Oswald|500||on|||||” menu_text_color=”#313436″ menu_font_size=”1.3em” background_enable_color=”off” background_layout=”dark” menu_font_size_tablet=”2vw” menu_font_size_phone=”3vw” menu_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” mobile_menu_bg_color__sticky_enabled=”on|sticky” menu_text_color__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” menu_text_color__hover=”#711421″][\/et_pb_menu][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Article Title Section” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#eae9e5″ background_enable_image=”off” z_index=”6″ custom_padding=”0vw||14px||false|false” bottom_divider_height=”40px” bottom_divider_flip=”vertical” background_last_edited=”on|desktop” background_enable_image_tablet=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ z_index=”0″ width=”100%” max_width=”1253px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”1vw|2vw|2vw|2vw|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ custom_padding=”4vw|1vw|1vw|1vw|false|true” custom_padding_tablet=”1vw|7vw|0vw|7vw|false|true” custom_padding_phone=”||0vw||false|true” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald|500||on|||||” text_text_color=”#25282A” text_font_size=”1.1em” link_font=”||||on|||#2f2f2f|” link_text_color=”#2f2f2f” background_color_gradient_direction=”90deg” custom_margin=”||11px|||” custom_padding=”0px||5px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#d7d2cb” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
College<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”Oswald|500||on|||||” header_text_color=”#862633″ header_font_size=”78px” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font_size=”39px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” custom_padding=”||15px||false|false” header_font_size_tablet=”7vw” header_font_size_phone=”9vw” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_2_font_size_tablet=”6vw” header_2_font_size_phone=”7vw” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#313436″ text_font_size=”15px” background_layout=”dark” custom_css_main_element=”display: inline-block;” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
By Diane Couzens |\u00a0 Spring 2026<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][owl_social_share_button twitter=”off” pinterest=”off” email=”on” button_shape=”circle” show_label=”off” hover_animation=”rotate” alignment=”right” use_original_colors=”off” custom_color=”#F3F3F1″ custom_hover_color=”#D7D2CB” custom_text_color=”#862633″ custom_text_hover_color=”#711421″ spacing=”6px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||-10px|15px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-10px|15px|false|false” custom_margin_phone=”|||0px|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” link_option_url_new_window=”on” custom_css_main_element=”display: inline-block;” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/owl_social_share_button][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|13px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||0px|13px|false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_css_main_element=”align-items: flex-end;” border_radii=”on|4px|4px|4px|4px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/Trading-British-Classics-for-Moroccan-Art-Ramapo-College-Literature-Professor-Benjamin-Eric-Daffron.jpg” alt=”Ramapo College Literature Professor Benjamin Eric Daffron in a traditional kandura, drinking mint tea, in Caf\u00e9 Clock in Chefchaouen in May 2024.” title_text=”element-grey-checkered-circleAsset 19@3x” show_bottom_space=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2025\/02\/element-grey-checkered-circleAsset-19@3x.png” background_size=”custom” background_image_width=”50%” background_position=”top_right” transform_translate=”0px|25px” transform_translate_linked=”off” custom_margin=”2vw||||false|false” custom_padding=”3vw||||false|false” background_last_edited=”on|phone” background_image_width_tablet=”34%” border_radii=”on|1000px|1000px|1000px|1000px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” z_index=”474″ custom_margin=”-15px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”14px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Instagram posts, short films and creative writing focused on North Africa – for someone who spent a large part of his career writing about British Gothic literature, this is a 180-degree turn.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” min_height=”364.8px” custom_margin=”-26px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”14px||14px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#F3F3F1″ background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2023\/02\/element-top-left-warm-gray-crosshatchAsset-12.png” background_size=”custom” background_image_width=”93px” background_position=”top_left” custom_padding=”1vw|1vw|1vw|1vw|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/Trading-British-Classics-for-Moroccan-Art-cat-books.jpg” alt=”An orange and white cat sleeping in a book stall.” title_text=”Trading-British-Classics-for-Moroccan-Art-cat-books” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|800px|800px|800px|800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text ul_item_indent=”50px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto Slab||||||||” text_text_color=”#545658″ text_font_size=”14px” text_line_height=”1.4em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A cat in a book stall in Rabat\u2019s medina during Daffron\u2019s visit in January 2024.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Ramapo College Literature Professor Benjamin Eric Daffron, currently based in Marrakech, Morocco teaching at Cadi Ayyad University as part of the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar program, once focused his scholarship and teaching on authors such as Jane Austen, Lord Byron and Mary Shelley. A few years ago, he underwent what he describes as a \u201cradical transformation\u201d in his research pursuits. \u201cDuring the (COVID-19) lockdown, I sought to make sense of what was happening to and around me\u2026 As I wrote my way through and out of lockdown, I composed essays that blended the personal with the theoretical, something altogether unprecedented in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This type of writing and scholarship not only was new to Daffron but also to the world of contemporary literature. Daffron\u2019s research has focused on autotheory, an emerging genre in the literary scene. Described as \u201cthe chimera of research and imagination\u201d (Arianne Zwartjes, \u201cAutotheory as Rebellion,\u201d Michigan Quarterly Review), the genre blends personal narrative with scholarly reflection. Daffron has introduced this new genre to Ramapo through a new senior seminar course for English and Literary Studies majors called Autotheory: Critical Reflections on Life, in which students examined the genre through memoirs, essays and more and used it to surface topics ranging from sexuality and race to language and affect. This blend reflects Ramapo\u2019s distinction as a public liberal arts college – the interdisciplinary nature of critical inquiry.<\/p>\n In January 2023, Daffron experienced what he calls \u201ca watershed moment\u201d: his first visit to Morocco. \u201cThat trip ignited a love for the country that found expression in a series of creative and critical pieces, in particular travel memoirs, as well as translations from French to English of stories.\u201d He returned in an almost addictive manner, traveling there four more times in the next two years. \u201cSomething about the Marrakshi way of life kept summoning me,\u201d Daffron writes in \u201cMarrakech\u2019s Medina: \u2018A Simple Path of Reading,\u2019\u201d published in Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Full-Width quote section” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/Trading-British-Classics-for-Moroccan-Art-horse.jpg” parallax=”on” parallax_method=”off” custom_margin=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”rgba(37,40,42,0.8)” background_enable_image=”off” width=”64%” width_tablet=”85%” width_phone=”90%” width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”44px” text_line_height=”1.4em” header_5_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_5_text_color=”#F3F3F1″ header_5_font_size=”21px” header_6_font=”Oswald||||||||” header_6_font_size=”15px” custom_padding=”6vw|6vw|6vw|3vw|true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”4vw|6vw|2vw|6vw|false|false” custom_padding_phone=”|10vw||10vw|false|true” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” text_font_size_tablet=”43px” text_font_size_phone=”27px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cThat trip ignited a love for the country that found expression in a series of creative and critical pieces, in particular travel memoirs, as well as translations from French to English of stories.\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Bottom Text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2025\/03\/element-coolblack-checker-bottom-left-corner.png” background_size=”initial” background_position=”bottom_left” custom_padding=”57px||57px||true|false” background_last_edited=”on|phone” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”||17px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n From that point, his scholarship output on Moroccan literature, film, photography and other artistic forms was almost feverish. \u201cMy desire was to make sense of my nascent relationship to this fascinating country.\u201d He wrote an article that reads like a short story but is really a criticism of a film by Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani. It was published in a peer-reviewed research journal focused on creative and professional writing. This past year, Daffron analyzed the autotheoretical and autopoetical work focused on body perception and identity, posted on Instagram, of Moroccan photographer and poet In\u00e8s Bouallou. He also authored an article that analyzed gender identities and sexuality explored in a short film by Moroccan film director Sido Lansari.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”824px” custom_padding=”4px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#25282A” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#862633″ header_2_font_size=”2.5rem” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n His first-person narrative, \u201cMarrakech\u2019s Medina: \u2018A Simple Path of Reading,\u2019\u201d gives the reader an insider look into a vibrant landscape. In his narrative, he describes attempting to navigate a winding, chaotic tangle of alleyways with thousands of stalls that is the Marrakesh Medina in search of a Moroccan artist. Focusing his Fulbright U.S. Scholar research on emergent creative Moroccan artists, Daffron notes, \u201cMy greatest research challenge has been logistical. Morocco is home to a rich arts scene from literary readings to films series and art fairs. There are simply not enough hours in the day (to experience it all).\u201d.<\/p>\n His creative evolution in the past several years is not unlike the journey of a Ramapo student, who through experiential learning, dives headlong into exploring new perspectives and utilizing critical thinking and analysis. Will Daffron have gotten his fill of Morocco after this year? Apparently not. In a few months, he will return stateside and is looking forward to bringing what he has learned during his Fulbright experience back to the classroom and Ramapo students. Students will benefit from his time abroad, as he hopes to develop a course focused on contemporary Moroccan literature and film. This passionate pursuit of the past few years may very well be the beginning of his lifelong fascination.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#F3F3F1″ background_enable_color=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/343\/2026\/03\/Trading-British-Classics-for-Moroccan-Art-alley.jpg” alt=”Moroccan alleyway ” title_text=”Trading-British-Classics-for-Moroccan-Art-alley” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text ul_item_indent=”50px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto Slab||||||||” text_text_color=”#545658″ text_font_size=”14px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_padding=”|10px|10px|10px|false|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A scene in Essaouira from Daffron\u2019s visit in January 2025.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Back To Homepage Spring 2026″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”45deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”#f3f3f1 0%|#fcfffd 100%” background_color_gradient_start=”#f3f3f1″ background_color_gradient_end=”#fcfffd” background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” top_divider_color=”#ffffff” top_divider_height=”86px” top_divider_arrangement=”above_content” top_divider_style_tablet=”” top_divider_style_phone=”” top_divider_style_last_edited=”on|phone” top_divider_height_tablet=”52px” top_divider_height_phone=”25px” top_divider_height_last_edited=”on|phone” border_color_all=”#2f2f2f” border_width_top=”1px” border_color_top=”#f3f3f1″ global_module=”8106″ saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”center_left” z_index=”349″ max_width=”1024px” custom_padding=”15px||20px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” text_text_color=”#862633″ text_font_size=”24px” link_text_color=”#25282a” transform_scale_linked__hover=”off” transform_translate_linked__hover=”off” custom_margin=”6px|||||” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”21px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” transform_styles__hover_enabled=”on|hover” transform_scale__hover_enabled=”on|hover” transform_translate__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_rotate__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_skew__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_origin__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_translate__hover=”-5px|0px” custom_css_after__hover_enabled=”on|hover” link_text_color__hover_enabled=”on|hover” link_text_color__hover=”#c41e1e”]<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
\u2014 Benjamin Eric Daffron<\/h5>\n