Podcast Summary: "Morofobia, un racismo ‘marca España’" (Carne Cruda #1610)

Podcast: Carne Cruda – PROGRAMAS
Host: La República Independiente
Date: January 28, 2026

Main Theme

This episode explores “morofobia”—a distinct, historically rooted form of racism in Spain directed against North African and Muslim populations, especially those labeled as "moros". Through testimonies, expert interventions, and lived experiences, the program examines the impact of recent legislative developments regarding migrant regularization, the persistence of structural racism in Spain, and the social, cultural, and political meanings attached to the word "moro". The episode further scrutinizes how the legacy of colonialism, mainstream culture, institutional practices, and popular discourse perpetuate the exclusion and dehumanization of racialized groups.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Everyday Realities of Irregular Migrants in Spain

• The host begins by painting the “Kafkaesque labyrinth” faced by undocumented migrants: exclusion from housing contracts, bank accounts, healthcare, and the impossibility of official registration (empadronamiento).

  • "[...] el laberinto kafkiano en el que viven miles de personas en nuestro país..." (00:18)

• Noting the historic moment: a new regularization (regularización) deal for migrants in Spain, highlighting it is not unprecedented but significant in current polarized times.

2. Perspectives from Migrant Advocacy

• Silvana Cabrera (Regularización Ya) shares cautious optimism about the new measure, stressing that each legal file represents a life and underscoring the need for clear, multi-language information to reach all affected.

  • "Detrás de cada expediente es que hay una persona, hay una vida..." (04:34)
  • [04:15–07:08]

• She stresses that confusion in communication during past regularizations hindered access for many.

3. Systemic Racism and the Limits of Regularizations

• Josep Boulet, antiracist activist, contextualizes the regularization as a necessary but insufficient step—“the system remains", while social and institutional racism persist.
  • "Celebramos esto, somos conscientes de que hay mucho trabajo por hacer, porque no hay que olvidar que al final esto es una regularización extraordinaria. El sistema permanece." (07:59)

4. Defining ‘Morofobia’ and its Roots

• Multiple voices (Hazar Brown, Fátima Tahiri, Nordín, María Ben Nuna) elaborate on the evolution and meaning of “moro”:

  • Once a term for Maghrebi/North African/Arab peoples, now “moro” is a catch-all insult loaded with hate and used to mark anyone considered "other".

• Citing data: In 2025, over 90% of hate messages on social networks in Spain targeted North African and Muslim people ([09:00]).

• The “morofobia” is defined historiographically as a product of Spain’s colonial past and its use of the “moro” as the antithesis of Spanish identity—enduring today in institutional, social, and cultural forms.

  • "La morofobia es todo lo que tenga que ver con racismo antimoro [...] puede ser marca España incluso." – Fátima Tahiri ([19:28])

5. Everyday & Institutionalized Racism

• Discussion of police stops based on racial profiling, hate crimes, and underreporting of Islamophobic incidents (less than 7% are reported).
• Josep Boulet and other guests emphasize that “moro” is a constructed category without a geographic locus, used to exclude and justify marginalization rather than denote actual identity.
  • "No existe ningún lugar geográfico que se llame Morolandia." ([14:16])

6. Historical & Cultural Construction of 'Moro'

• The program traces how, over centuries, “moro” was depicted negatively in art, literature, and public rituals (e.g., “Moros y Cristianos” festivals)—always as the enemy, never as part of the positive Spanish imaginary.

  • "El moro en este país no solo fue derrotado, también fue aniquilado y expulsado a partir de 1492 [...] se celebra en las calles a través de eventos como moros y cristianos donde siempre perdemos los mismos." ([17:44])

• Contemporary politics, especially the far-right, instrumentalize this imagery (e.g., Vox’s “más muros y menos moros” rhetoric).

7. Morofobia, Islamophobia, and Racism: Intersections & Distinctions

• Fátima Tahiri (academic, founder of Mektu) distinguishes terms:

  • Morofobia – racism against people of Maghrebi/North African descent, particularly salient in Spain.
  • Islamofobia – prejudice targeting religious identity.
  • Racismo antimusulmán – overlaps but includes broader religious and ethnic prejudice.

• She underscores the lack of historical education on these topics and the negative influence of media representations, which essentialize Muslims only by their faith and rarely offer multidimensional portrayals.

8. Criminalization of Muslims and North Africans

• Example: Nordín Liemlahi’s wrongful arrest (January 2025) for suspected terrorism due to his Muslim background and social media activity, later released without charges after months in isolation.

  • "Te sientes con incertidumbre, te han quitado tu intimidad, tu dignidad, te sientes cuestionado, una sospecha, una sensación casi de traicionado por tu propio país." – Nordín ([29:14])

• The everyday stereotype: Muslims as fundamentalist, always under suspicion, often suffering from presumption of guilt without evidence.

9. Women, Agency, and Representation

• Hazar Bahrarawi (Hazar Brown): The rare experience of playing a lead Muslim character with hijab on Spanish TV (“SCAM España”), and how that representation carries the burden of being "the example" for an entire community.

  • "Cuando una vive con esa responsabilidad sobre la sociedad... mi hijab es un estandarte del islam y que cualquier cosa que haga más siendo mujer, estamos más vigiladas, pues va a repercutir porque estamos muy politizadas." ([36:54])

• She and other female participants relay the barriers to inclusion—both overt (lack of accommodation, ignorance) and subtle (continued exoticization, infantilization).

10. Community Voices on Labels and Representation

• Most guests agree that “moro/mora” is only acceptable when self-appropriated, never when used by outsiders; the assumed representational burden is unjust and inhumane.

  • "Creo que no representa nadie, me cuesta representarme a mí misma como para pensar que represento a la moritud, a todo el Magreb, a los amasij, los árabes." – María Ben Nuna ([45:34])

• They relay the psychological toll of having to “overperform” as perfect citizens, knowing any error risks stigmatizing the whole group.

  • "Cuando tú te equivocas va a ser una cuestión que va a afectar a todos los de la mesa indirectamente..." – Nordín ([47:18])

11. Rejection of ‘Integration’ as an Assimilationist Concept

• The panel rejects the notion that they should integrate by erasing their differences; instead, they call for true pluralism.
  • "El lenguaje que uno tiene te habla del origen de uno. Mi acento súper madrileño. ¿Qué más? Ya esa palabra la odio." – Hazar Brown ([48:28])
  • "La idea de la integración desde perder lo que eres... es una palabra que tengo totalmente eliminado." – María Ben Nuna ([48:49])

12. Pending Social Duties & Conclusions

• The episode closes with concrete “homework”:

  • Revising how history is taught—moving past the Reconquista as an anti-moro narrative (Ben Nuna, [51:04])
  • Confronting institutional racism within even “progressive” politics (Nordín, [51:20])
  • Challenging limiting, victimizing narratives in the media and demanding multidimensional representation (Hazar Brown, [52:38])
  • Addressing specific barriers for hijab-wearing women in the workforce (Nordín, [53:34])

• Josep Boulet underscores how language and popular discourse allow systematic deshumanization—a process that enables rising far-right violence:

  • "Palabras como moro son las que hacen posible este proceso de deshumanización. [...] No se llega al ICE de la noche a la mañana, sino gracias a años de políticas de normalización de situaciones que luego la ultraderecha lleva al extremo cuando llega al poder." ([54:57])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "La morofobia es marca España." – Fátima Tahiri ([19:28])
• "No existe ningún lugar geográfico que se llame Morolandia." – Josep Boulet ([14:16])
• "El sistema permanece. Se siguen creando jerarquías de personas y se sigue deshumanizando a las personas que vienen del sur global." – Josep Boulet ([07:59])
• "El hijab es un estandarte del islam y que cualquier cosa que haga más siendo mujer, [...] va a repercutir porque estamos muy politizadas." – Hazar Baharawi ([36:54])
• "El término moro es sinónimo de feo, de malo, de sucio, algo en lo que desconfiar." – Josep Boulet ([13:12])
• "Creo que hemos empezado a entender que o nos lo peleamos nosotras o nadie nos va a dar espacio." – María Ben Nuna ([41:27])
• "No hay integración posible si tienes que elegir entre perder lo que eres o pertenecer." – Panel ([48:49])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:18–03:20: Introduction: Migrant precarity and regularization milestone
• 04:15–07:08: Silvana Cabrera on migrant struggles and information gaps
• 07:40–08:34: Josep Boulet: The limits of regularization & persistence of systemic racism
• 09:00–10:07: Hate messages targeting North Africans and Muslims
• 11:21–14:16: Discussion: The shifting, negative meanings of “moro”
• 16:00–18:23: History of “moro” in Spanish imagery
• 19:20–24:27: Fátima Tahiri: Morofobia, Islamofobia, and Spain's colonial legacy
• 27:45–32:41: Interview: Nordín Liemlahi on wrongful terror arrest
• 33:12–38:48: Hazar Baharawi: Being visible as a Muslim woman in Spanish media
• 39:53–42:16: María Ben Nuna: Life for migrants in rural Spain, especially in exploitative conditions
• 48:28–50:02: Rejection of assimilation/integration narrative
• 51:01–54:22: Homework: Social tasks for challenging anti-moro racism
• 54:57–56:03: Boulet's closing reflection on normalized deshumanization
• 56:04–58:02: Recommendations: Books, documentaries, and events

Recommendations (Books, Docs, Events)

• Literature:

  • Novels by Youssef El Maimouni: "Cuando los montes caminen", "Nadie salva a las rosas"
  • Graphic novels by Nadia Hafiz ("Mal olor")
  • Works by al Mamá Amziania and Noa Nadia

• Documentaries:

  • "Es por tu seguridad: engranajes institucionales de la islamofobia"
  • "Arras" (“veneno” in amazigh)
  • "Los soldados de Franco: la historia secreta de los marroquíes en la guerra civil española"

• Performances:

  • Musical adaptation of Meriem El Mehteti’s work (Las Palmas, March 6–7)
  • Stand up by Younes Shave (Bilbao, April 12)

Tone, Style, and Final Word

The episode is candid, at times raw, alternating between intellectual analysis and lived, emotional testimony. It strives for directness and truth, giving the microphone to those with first-hand experience and expertise—above all, those whom Spanish society renders invisible or stereotypical. The speakers reclaim “moro/mora” on their own terms, calling for critical memory, structural change, and above all, agency, dignity, and recognition.

Closing Quote:
"El blanco también se sale." – Josep Boulet ([55:51])
A reminder that freedom from normative whiteness and exclusion is possible—if society commits to seeing, listening, and transforming itself.