La Répudiation

work by Boudjedra

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

La Répudiation (1969) is a novel by Algerian writer Rachid Boudjedra. It gained notoriety for its explicit language and direct challenge to traditional Muslim values in contemporary Algeria. The novel drew from Boudjedra's own difficult youth, criticizing the complacency of established powers in newly independent Algeria. Boudjedra's work is characterized by its unorthodox sexual themes and lyrical intensity, defying conventional morality. This novel marked Boudjedra as a leader of experimental fiction, and due to its content, it was considered a frontal assault on traditionalism.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Rachid Boudjedra
…Algerian writer whose first novel, La Répudiation (1969; The Repudiation), gained notoriety because of its explicit language and frontal assault on Muslim traditionalism in contemporary Algeria. Because of that work, Boudjedra was hailed as the leader of a new movement of experimental fiction.
Read More
…Algerian writer whose first novel, La Répudiation (1969; The Repudiation), gained notoriety because of its explicit language and frontal assault on Muslim traditionalism in contemporary Algeria. Because of that work, Boudjedra was hailed as the leader of a new movement of experimental fiction.
Read More