Black France: Colonialism, Immigration, and Transnationalism

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Dominic Thomas Colonialism, Immigration, and Transnationalism BLACK FRANCE Thomas B L ACK FRANCE African Studies | Expressive Cultures “[W]ithout a doubt one of the most important studies so far completed on literature in French grounded in the experiences of migrants of subSaharan African origin.” —Alec Hargreaves, Florida State University “[A] brilliant, innovative, and important contribution to francophone literary studies, immigration and assimilation research, and global popular culture.” —Bennetta Jules-Rosette, University of California, San Diego France, perhaps like no other country, has always hosted a rich and vibrant black presence within its borders. But recent violent events have raised questions about France’s treatment of ethnic minorities and immigrant communities. Challenging the identity politics that have set immigrants against the mainstream, Black France explores how black expressive culture has been reformulated as global culture in the multicultural and multinational spaces of France. In this provocative book, Dominic Thomas uses literature as a new way to understand dynamic flows of people and goods. Thomas brings forward questions such as these: Why is France a privileged site of civilization ? Who is French? Who is an immigrant? Who controls the networks of production? Black France poses an urgently needed reassessment of the French colonial legacy, immigration, assimilation, national identity, racism, and universalism. Dominic Thomas is Chair of the Department of French and Francophone Studies and Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is author of Nation-Building, Propaganda, and Literature in Francophone Africa (available from Indiana University Press). African Expressive Cultures—Patrick McNaughton, editor Cover illustration: Paris est Propre (1989), reproduced by kind permission of Chéri Samba. ISBN-13: 978-0-253-21881-0 ISBN-10: 0-253-21881-0 INDIANA INDIANA University Press Bloomington & Indianapolis http://iupress.indiana.edu 1-800-842-6796 ...