Studying the Political Problems of French-speaking Tropical Africa in Paris

Abstract

Among the principal Parisian libraries with African document collections are: (1) Library of the Institut d'Etudes Politiques, 27 Rue St. Guillaume, Paris VIeme (metro: St. Germain des Prés). These facilities are a good starting point for the foreign Africanist visiting Paris. Of particular interest are the “dossiers” of the “Centre de Documentation” (third floor of the library) where under various headings (such as “French relations with Africa”) one may find press clippings from about 100 of the major French newspapers and periodicals. The dossiers of clippings are kept up to date and extend back for several years. In the same third floor library there exists a special card catalog in which thousands of articles which have appeared in French periodicals for the past ten years are listed and briefly analyzed; there are several hundred cards dealing with French-speaking Africa. This special catalog is kept up to date and has trays devoted to each of the new African nations.