French Literature Reviews - 2026
B. Mouralis, Republic and Colonies: Between History and Memory — The French Republic and Africa
History, Politics and Society
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Bernard Mouralis, Republic and Colonies: Between History and Memory — The French Republic and Africa
new edition
Paris: Présence Africaine, coll. "Situations et perspectives", 2012.
EAN 9782708708327.
XVII-252 p.
Price 23EUR
Publisher's overview:
From 1850 to 1960, the destinies of France and Africa were closely intertwined. What was the nature of this relationship, particularly in institutional terms? What remains today in the collective consciousness of Africans and the French regarding this past? Why has this history been so widely repressed?
These questions serve as the starting point for this study, which traces the central role played by the republican ideal throughout this history. It begins by analyzing the profound contradiction inherent in colonial conquest led by a republican regime—a contradiction that explains why the colonizer did not necessarily find in Africa what they initially envisioned: domination did not confer true power. The book also highlights the strong influence of the republican ideal on African nationalism, deeply shaped by the tradition of Victor Schoelcher.
Concluding this journey through the perspectives of various writers and political figures (Hampâté Bâ, Brazza, Camus, Ouezzin Coulibaly, Delavignette, Lamine Gueye, Doudou Thiam, etc.), readers will come to understand how essential Africa has been to France's history. Africa contributed decisively both to France's salvation in the aftermath of the defeat of 1940 and to the advancement of the republican regime in 1946. Republic and Colonies thus introduces us to an African history of France.
This new edition includes a substantial, previously unpublished preface.
Bernard Mouralis is Professor Emeritus at the University of Cergy-Pontoise, where he founded and directed the Department of Literature and Humanities (UFR) and the Text/History Research Center. Previously, he taught at several African universities (Abidjan, Lomé, Cotonou) as well as the University of Lille III. His research focuses on sub-Saharan French-language literature, cultural relations between Europe and Africa, and literary theory. His notable publications in these fields include: Individu et collectivité dans le roman négro-africain (1969), L'oeuvre de Mongo Beti (1981), Littérature et développement (1981), V.Y. Mudimbe ou le discours, l'écart et l'écriture (1988), L'illusion de l'altérité (2007), L'Europe, l'Afrique et la folie (1993), République et colonies (1999), Littératures africaines et Antiquité (2011), Les contre-littératures (1975 and 2011), and Questions générales de littérature (2001), alongside numerous articles.
The historical relationship between France and Africa during the colonial period encompasses complex institutional dynamics and enduring legacies in contemporary collective memory. Scholarly inquiry into this era often examines the intersection of political ideology and imperial expansion, focusing on how metropolitan frameworks shaped overseas governance and how colonial encounters reverberated within European political structures. The interplay between historical events and subsequent remembrance remains a central concern for researchers investigating the long-term consequences of colonialism on both French and African societies.
Readers interested in the historical connections between France and Africa or the complexities of colonial memory may find Republic and Colonies: Between History and Memory relevant. Bernard Mouralis examines the relationship between the French Republic and Africa from 1850 to 1960, addressing institutional questions, repressed histories, and the role of the republican ideal. The volume also considers the influence of Victor Schoelcher on African nationalism and discusses various writers and political figures, ultimately presenting an African history of France that highlights Africa's contribution to French salvation and republican advancement.