DSPO 25A28 - The "Postcolonial Question" in contemporary France (1962-2026)

Since the 1983’s March for equality and against racism (“Marche des Beurs”), up until the current debates on islamist separatism, the French public sphere is struggling with a new intellectual debate, which can be described as “the postcolonial question”. By defining and questioning this phrasing, this lecture will first try to establish a political history of immigration in France, and how it has deeply defined and redefined the definitions of social progress. Through the issues of colonial historiography, but also the evolution in France of generations of immigrants and their political behavior, the rise of islam as both a religious and social phenomenon, have deeply transformed the country : the resurgence of the “Empire” questions the very nature of the “Republic”.

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Oral evaluation : 45% of the final grade, an in-class presentation on a given topic (each class offering multiple choices of exposés). This oral presentation is to be performed by one or two or more students, depending on the class size. The oral presentations will start in class 2.

Written evaluation : 45% of the final grade, an individual dissertation to be written by students for the end of the semester, on one of the proposed readings (reviewing a book or an academic article). The review is to be given back in class 10.

In-class participation : 10% of the final grade, based on individual contributions to the group discussions.