Why read Citizenship Between Empire and Nation?

Book cover of Citizenship Between Empire and Nation: Remaking France and French Africa, 1945-1960

Book description

As the French public debates its present diversity and its colonial past, few remember that between 1946 and 1960 the inhabitants of French colonies possessed the rights of French citizens. Moreover, they did not have to conform to the French civil code that regulated marriage and inheritance. One could, in…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Citizenship Between Empire and Nation as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Edward Berenson

Author

In this superb, prize-winning book, Cooper shows that despite France’s often gruesome treatment of its African colonies, its postwar leaders tried to make amends. After taking power in 1958, Charles de Gaulle gave each of France’s African territories three choices: 1) full departmental status within the French Republic (à la Martinique and Guadeloupe); 2) internal autonomy and democratic self-government in a newly dubbed French Community modeled on the British Commonwealth; 3) complete independence with a cutoff of all financial assistance. Every territory voted for option 2, except Guinea, which chose independence. Although the Community option ultimately fell apart, Cooper shows…

From Edward's list on the impact of European colonialism on Africa and Africans.