Abstract

How should we make sense of Henri Bergson’s praise of French colonialism? In this chapter, I examine his 1923 book review in which he claimed that the remedy to Muslim “indolence” was found in European civilization’s energy, effort, and action. Bergson drew not only on his own philosophy to justify the French imperial mission in North Africa. What he described as a “philosophy of colonialism” also took shape in the wider educational context of the French Third Republic. Using school manuals and unpublished letters, I show how Bergson’s early career as a civil servant was spent teaching a curriculum that mobilized the human sciences to rationalize French colonialism.

Full Text

Published Version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.