The Republic of Difference : Feminism and anti-racism in the Parisian banlieues

Abstract: The thesis is an ethnographic study of three political groups in the Parisian banlieues: Ni putes ni soumises, AFRICA and Mouvement des indigènes de la République. These groups espouse both feminist and antiracist politics in theory, yet in practice tend to privilege either a feminist or  antiracist position and end up in opposition to each other. To explain why, the thesis locates their respective politics within French colonial heritage, French secularism (laïcité), and current politics surrounding Muslims in France, especially Muslim women in the banlieues. The thesis draws on anthropological theory, feminist theory, intersectionality, and post-colonial studies.