Meet the Researchers Open Lecture Series (for schools and public): "Integration and Racism in the French Republic"
| Dates: | 25 November 2015 |
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| Times: | 17:30 - 18:30 |
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| What is it: | Talk |
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| Organiser: | School of Arts, Languages and Cultures |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, Adults, Alumni, Current University students, General public, Post 16, Secondary schools |
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| Speaker: | Dr Barbara Lebrun |
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A talk by Dr Barbara Lebrun (Department of French Studies) - part of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures open lecture series "Meet the Researchers".
The January 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris led to a nationwide re-appraisal of the ‘republican’ values of universalism, humanism and integration, and to the symbolic foregrounding of the term ‘republic/republican’ in official discourse, not least in the naming of the ‘Marche de la République’ on 11 January 2015, led by the Socialist president, and the rebranding of the Conservative party (formerly the UMP) as ‘Les Républicains’ in May. Nonetheless, the last 25 years have also seen a growing criticism of the very notion of republicanism, as different sections of the French population (and some critics abroad) underline the shortcomings of the French Republic as an institution, especially in relation to the economic integration of post-colonial migrants and to the cultural expression of France’s Muslim population. Many, in fact, now argue that the French Republic needs less, rather than more, ‘republicanism’. To contextualise the terms of this debate, this lecture will return to the basics of French national identity by defining republicanism and its core values (humanism, secularism, integration…), and by explaining the challenges to this ideology in the post-colonial context. Part conceptual analysis and part cultural overview, this lecture will be of interest to all students of contemporary French society, at Sixth-Form and University levels alike. The talk is delivered in English.
Free of charge, but please book a place via our website: http://man.ac.uk/9mTV30
Speaker
Dr Barbara Lebrun
Role: Senior Lecturer in Contemporary French Politics and Culture
Organisation: Department of French Studies
Travel and Contact Information
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Lecture Theatre B
Simon Building
Manchester
