Abstract
The French chapter by Etienne Pingaud explores the challenges for anti-discrimination activism in France in a backlash context. It aims to understand the shift in French discrimination policies during the past decades and the implications of the strong conservative countermovement. The chapter focuses on LGBT rights activists/activism. It looks at the transformations of daily activism, the practical tools and concrete work and on the way activists perceive their activism through focus group discussions. The focus area is what these political and ideological changes mean for activists involved in anti-discrimination movements. On the one hand, the struggle against discrimination has become mainstream; on the other hand, it has been made more difficult by the intellectual and ideological “backlash” that emerged in France in the 2000s.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
After his defeat, he publicly regretted giving Sens Commun a leading role.
- 2.
The French team was made up of two researchers: Annie Benveniste and Etienne Pingaud.
- 3.
The classic philosophical debates about insertion, the role of cultures and multiculturalism came later in France than in many other countries due to this singular view of the phenomenon.
- 4.
- 5.
For example, Martine Aubry, Minister of Work and Social issues 1997–2002.
- 6.
The FPO received 27% of the votes in the 1999 Austrian elections, and a government coalition of the right-wing OVP and FPO was formed. Haider was not a member of this administration.
- 7.
- 8.
For example, the Homosexual Front of Revolutionary Action (FHAR), founded by a leftist activist, is very famous in France.
- 9.
Several leaders of Front National were present during the demonstrations, for instance, Marion Maréchal-Le Pen (Marine Le Pen’s niece).
- 10.
CUCS was one of the first propositions in the 1990s to propose rights for same-sex couples. It later became a model for PACS, the new proposition that was finally adopted in 1999.
- 11.
SOS Homophobia was founded in 1994 and provides psychological and sometimes material support to gay and lesbian victims of exclusion or homophobia. It is one of the most important groups in terms of size, number of people involved and available funds to start concrete initiatives. They were invited to the focus group but declined at the last minute.
References
Bancel, N., Blanchard, P., & Lemaire, S. (2005). La fracture coloniale. Paris: La Découverte.
Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J.-C. (1964). Les héritiers. Paris: Minuit.
Brustier, G. (2014). Le mai 68 conservateur: que restera-t-il de la Manif pour tous? Paris: Editions du Cerf.
Chappe, V.-A. (2011). Le cadrage juridique, une ressource politique? La création de la HALDE comme solution au problème de l’effectivité des normes anti-discrimination (1998–2005). Politix, 94, 107–130.
Escafré-Dublet, A. (2008). L’Etat et la culture des immigrés, 1974–1984. Histoire@Politique, 4, 15–15.
Felouzis, G., & Perroton, N. (2009). Grandir entre pairs à l’école. Ségrégation ethnique et reproduction sociale dans le système éducatif français. Actes de la recherche en sciences sociales, 180, 92–100.
Guenif-Souilamas, N. (2000). Des beurettes. Paris: Pluriel.
Guiraudon, V. (2004). Construire une politique europeenne de lutte contre les discriminations: l’histoire de la directive “race”. Sociétés contemporaines, 53, 11–32.
Haute autorité de lutte contre les discriminations et pour l’égalité (2008), Rapport annuel 2008.
Keyhani, N. (2013). Former pour dépolitiser. L’administration des immigrés comme cible de l’action publique. Gouvernement et action publique, 4, 91–114.
Lorcerie, F. (2009). L’école, son territoire et l’ethnicité. Revue Projet, 312, 64–71.
Martel, F. (1996). Le rose et le noir: les homosexuels en France depuis 1968. Paris: Points.
Mathieu, L. (2011). L’Espace des mouvements sociaux. Bellecombe-en-Bauges: Editions du Croquant.
Olivier de Sardan, J. P. (1995). La politique du terrain. Enquête, vol.1 (online version)
Schnapper, D. (1992). L’Europe des immigrés, essai sur les politiques d’immigration. Paris: Francois Bourin.
Simon, P. (2004). Introduction au dossier: la construction des discriminations. Sociétés contemporaines, n°53, pp.5–10
Tilly, C. (2004). Les origines du répertoire d’action collective contemporaine en France et en Grande-Bretagne. Vingtième Siècle. Revue d’histoire, 4, 89–108.
Links
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pingaud, E. (2019). The Anti-discrimination Activism in a Backlash Context: A Panorama of the French Situation. In: Siim, B., Krasteva, A., Saarinen, A. (eds) Citizens’ Activism and Solidarity Movements. Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76183-1_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76183-1_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-76182-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-76183-1
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)