Type of Document Dissertation Author Huntsman, Mark Author's Email Address firstname.lastname@example.org URN etd-11122012-111035 Title The Common Struggle: Locating the international connections of national spaces of conflict in the Francophone world Degree Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Department French Studies Advisory Committee
Advisor Name Title Russo, Adelaide Committee Chair Regis, Helen Committee Member Stone, Gregory Committee Member Yeager, Jack Committee Member Clare, Joseph Dean's Representative Keywords
- urban experiences in literature
- the city in literature
Date of Defense 2012-10-10 Availability unrestricted AbstractIn their 2007 manifesto, Quand les murs tombent: líidentit&236; nationale hors-la-loi, &200;douard Glissant and Patrick Chamoiseau propose that the nation-state is a stumbling block to global solidarity as it emphasizes cultural division. In order to achieve international community across borders, people must find common bonds that link them across traditional lines of conflict. My thesis applies this notion within the context of la Francophonie, an organization that has struggled with its goal of cultural rapprochement as its member nations continue to perceive each other as foreign entities rather than as like components of a larger community. I assert that la Francophonie is connected by a series of historical and literary experiences that go beyond the organizationís stated unities of language and humanistic values, and that these experiences are rooted in conflict. To understand what is common across nations, one need first look at what is uncommon within them. In examining lines of division that disrupt national unities, I uncover international ones, highlighting trans-historical and transnational trends in the types of conflict that revolve around specific contentious subjects, as well as the similarities of conditions, motivations, and actions that mark these battles.
My first chapter addresses the issue of language, detailing the ways in which multilingual
societies struggle to cope with coexistence. I show that speakers of various languages are
confronted with consistent social imbalances, attempts to regulate language usage, and questions
of national affiliation. In my second chapter, I analyze religious divides that have plagued
numerous civilizations, positing that religions become embroiled in two archetypical
relationships: an uneasy relationship with the state marked by interference, and a paradigm in
which minority religions are transformed into archrivals. My third chapter brings a different
perspective to the notion of national conflict, using literature to highlight tensions between
individuals and the urban environments they call home. I establish a common antagonistic
relationship with the city as diverse authors struggle against the psychological strains of losing their emotional connections, their freedom, and their moral fiber. I conclude by demonstrating the contemporary relevance of establishing new imaginaires in light of evolving conceptions of global connections.
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