French Scientists Research Articles

Participation of French Mammalogists in the first international tHERIOLOGICAL congress (Moscow, June 6–12, 1974)

The First International Theriological (Mammalogical) Congress that brought together about 1000 mammalogists from 30 countries across the world was held in Moscow fifty years ago, on June 6–12, 1974. Based on the materials from the fonds of the Congress Organizing Committee (Russian Academy of Sciences Archive. F. 1684), the article analyzes the preparation and conduct of this notable event and the participation of international mammalogists, primary French scientists, in this congress. Twenty five French participants from France had registered for the Congress, with 11 papers by French authors including 2 plenary presentations by F. Bourlière and J. Giban. The significance of the Congress as the first large-scale space for the mammalogists’ communication is also discussed. It is emphasized that the Congress participants had appreciated how well this international event was organized, which was reflected in numerous relevant publications, including the international ones.

V. S. Kozlov and his Tsifrar-diagrammometer

In the late 19th century a military statistician and a pioneers of the Russian cooperative movement, Viktor Semyonovich Kozlov (1842–1920), designed and built a unique mechanical analog computing device he named “tsifrar-diagrammometer”. It was intended for operational visual presentation of numerical results of observations, calculations, experiments, etc. (tsifrar) and for calculating their statistical characteristics (diagrammometer). At the 1889 Paris Exposition this device that represented Russia was awarded the bronze medal. Drawing on the archival records and the materials from the Russian and European periodicals, the history of the inventor’s work on this device is reconstructed for the first time and some facts from his biography are described. The authors also attempt to describe the design of the device and analyze the mechanism of its functioning. Since no sources contain a detailed description of the design with the diagrams, charts, etc. or the mechanism of its functioning while available information is often contradictory, the authors present their own version of the device’s description and operation. The tsifrar-diagrammometer aroused much interest among the most prominent Russian and French scientists of the time, including P. L. Chebyshev, D. I. Mendeleev, E. Lucas, and many others. They viewed Kozlov’s device as a forerunner of a future universal instrument for numerical data analysis and for discovering new laws of nature. The appraisals of the device by the contemporaries are also given and analyzed in the article.

A Natural Event of Radioactivity

Abstract Natural radioactivity was first discovered in 1896 by the French physicist Beck Kerelem. As a result of recent research, Pierre and Marie Curie discovered that the nucleus of atoms of some elements spontaneously transforms into the nucleus of atoms of other elements, and during this, the radiation of particles occurs. Most naturally occurring radioactive elements form a radioactive family in which each radioactive element originates from the preceding radioactive element and in turn transforms into the next radioactive element. The transformations continue until the end product is an isotope of a stable element. In nature, there are also radioactive elements that this transformation occurs only once . In 1934, French scientists Irene and Fredrik Joluo-Curie irradiated aluminum, boron and manganese with particles and obtained isotopes of phosphorus, nitrogen and silicon elements, which do not exist in nature. This type of radioactivity is called artificial radioactivity. Later, by irradiating various elements with proton, deuteron and neutron particles, they obtained isotopes of all chemical elements in the Mendeleev table.

A fascination with tailless mice: a scientific historical review of studies of the T/t complex.

The T/t complex of the mouse attracted many of the major figures of mouse genetics to perform genetic, cytogenetic, physiological, biochemical and molecular biological studies of it. These studies started with the discovery of short tailed mutants (Ts) and recessive lethal developmental mutations (ts) which mapped to the same "locus" in the early 1920s in France. However, due to the non-receptivity of French scientists to genetics, they continued to be studied in mostly Anglophone countries to be joined by a wider international community in the 1970s. These discoveries led to developmental studies of the lethal mutants which provided the origin of mammalian developmental genetics. The fascinating property of transmission ratio distortion (non-50/50 segregation of alleles in offspring of males) elicited tremendous interest. There were false leads (that the region consisted of unusual DNA, that the alleles controlled cell surface antigens on embryonic cells and spermatozoa) and exciting discoveries. This historical review provides a review of this extensive area of research and some of the individuals involved in it.

A Brief History of Polyclonal Antibody Therapies Against Bacterial and Viral Diseases Before COVID-19.

The use of the serum or plasma of patients or animals who have recovered from an infectious disease, or had been immunized with a relevant antigen, to treat or prevent the same infection in others began in the late 1880s when French and German scientists uncovered, one step at a time, several of the elements of the immune system's response to infection. A key finding was that the damage caused by some bacteria depends upon their secreted toxins which can be neutralized by biologic agents. Antitoxins to diphtheria and tetanus began to be manufactured in large animals in France, Germany, and the US in the 1890s and were soon being used worldwide. The impact of diphtheria antitoxin on childhood mortality was profound. Shortly after the development of antitoxins, convalescent serum began to be used for its anti-bactericidal properties thus addressing serious infections caused by non-toxin-producing organisms. The effectiveness of antitoxins and antisera was demonstrated by examining mortality rates in hospitals before and after the introduction of antitoxins, by comparisons of treated and untreated patients, by comparing early and late treatment and dosage, by examining vital data mortality trends, and by several randomized and alternate assignment trials. Antitoxins continue to have a role in the rare cases of diphtheria and other conditions largely eradicated by immunization, but serum therapy nearly disappeared from the medical armamentarium with the development of antibiotics in the 1940s. Inasmuch as new human pathogens are now emerging with unprecedented regularity as seen in the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and because specific therapies are unlikely to be available for them, plasma-based antibody therapies are likely to again carve out a niche in infectious disease control.

The relationship between Rose Anna Shedlock (c1850-1878) and Emile Roux (1853-1933).

The famous French scientist, Emile Roux, was previously discovered to have been secretly married to an English woman, Rose Anna Shedlock, one of the first women medical school students in Britain and Europe. Emile and Rose most likely met while in medical school in Paris, although for very different reasons, neither graduated. It was previously suggested that Rose left medical school after only a few years, although we present new evidence that that she was still a medical student four years later when she would have been near completion. Regardless, Rose moved back to England prior to taking her qualifying exams, where we found she lived at a girl's boarding school where one of her sisters was head mistress. In the following year, Emile travelled to London where he and Rose were married in a quiet civil ceremony. Soon after the wedding, Emile returned to Paris where he began working as an assistant to Louis Pasteur. In a tragic twist of fate, Rose died a year later in Madeira, which we have now noted was within days of when Emile performed his breakthrough experiments that led to the creation of vaccines in the laboratory.

“We’re Not Lab Rats”: Analysis of Netizens’ Response to BCG Vaccine-Test Proposal Against COVID-19 in Africa

In April 2020, two French scientists proposed Africa as the site for testing a BCG tuberculosis vaccine for treating COVID-19. This sparked social media outrage with some describing the gaffe as a hangover of colonial mentality. This study examined netizens’ interpretation of the faux pas and how the social media activism that followed it shaped the narrative about Africa’s identity. The study found that netizens interpreted the discourse as racism against Africa, colonialism, and a breach of medical ethics. These created an avenue for social media activism by a new generation of African netizens to assert their independence, protect their humanity, and promote the idea of Africa for Africans. The study recommends the need for ethics of care and racial sensitivity in public and global health discourses that have the potential to reopen scars of historical trauma in subjugated populations who may be geographically or socially affected by pandemics.

Gilles Kepel: Impish Like Voltaire

ABSTRACT Highlighting the two most recent books of French political scientist and philologist Gilles Kepel, this article follows the author’s four-decades-long intellectual journey, from his days as a doctoral student excavating Egypt’s Muslim Brothers in the late 1970s, to his early retirement from Paris’s École Normale Supérieure as a seasoned “elder statesman” of Arab and Islamic Studies in the aftermath of October 7, 2023. A gifted Arabist and prolific polyglot, Kepel is a rarity among public intellectuals, able to intelligibly articulate the complexities of our times’ Islam and Islamism with both Voltairean witty erudition,1 and epistemic modesty. As with the bulk of Kepel’s work, the books under consideration in this article probe contemporary Islam, and the challenges it poses to modern Western and Middle Eastern societies, with deliberation and discernment, bringing to bear a world of historical, theological, and philological knowledge, away from our times internet clicks, soundbites, and memes.

Louis Pasteur: A Legacy Unmasked.

Louis Pasteur is perhaps the most globally recognized French scientist. His groundbreaking discoveries in molecular chirality and advancements in fermentation greatly benefited brewers and winemakers. Pasteur introduced the process of pasteurization to sterilize wines and significantly contributed to the development of germ theory, which made Joseph Lister's antiseptic surgical techniques possible. Despite initially disproving Antoine Béchamp's theory that silkworm disease was caused by a microbial infection, Pasteur tackled this issue effectively. Building on the work of Henri Toussaint and Pierre Victor Galtier, he developed vaccines for pig erysipelas, chicken cholera, anthrax, and rabies. Pasteur also coined the term "vaccination," which Richard Dunning had used before Edward Jenner expanded upon it. Although Robert Koch criticized Pasteur's vaccination methods as ambiguous, historians have clarified many of the myths surrounding Pasteur. This review explores Pasteur's career, his undeniable achievements, and the realities behind the legendary figure who strove to make a significant impact on science and medicine.

Religiosity, transcendent accountability, and civic engagement

Religiosity, transcendent accountability, and civic engagement Academic experts from Baylor University and Pepperdine University explore religiosity, transcendent accountability, and civic engagement. Civic engagement has declined considerably in America since Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political scientist, visited the United States in 1831 and observed the unique tendency toward volunteerism and the role it played in American civic life and culture. He wrote extensively about the inclination of American citizens to form voluntary associations of all types, including religious, community, and political organizations that contributed to volunteerism.

TO ASSESS KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE REGARDING ANAPHYLAXIS AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS IN TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL KHAMMAM

Background: The term anaphylaxis which was first used in the late 1800s by French scientist Charles Richet, describes a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal .It develops when an allergen a foreign substance causes the immune system to overreact setting off a series of physiological reactions across the body . understanding the knowledge attitude and practice regarding anaphylaxis is important for dental students as they may come across anaphylactic emergencies in their clinical set up. Aim: To assess knowledge attitude and practice regarding anaphylaxis among dental students in tertiary care teaching hospital khammam. Objectives: To determine the knowledge attitude and practice regarding anaphylaxis among dental students based on gender. To determine the knowledge attitude and practice regarding anaphylaxis among dental students based on year of study. Method :A cross sectional study was conducted among dental students (I, II,III ,IV,Interns)in a tertiary care teaching hospital khammam using a web based tool called forms pro a semi structural online questionnaire was designed and distributed to students in order to fill , Descriptive studies and chi square test were calculated using SPSS version 29. Result: A total of 201 students took part with females (57. 7%)and males(42.3%).Age of participants ranges from 19--25 years .In this study females have more knowledge regarding anaphylaxis than males among dental students Interns have more knowledge followed by IV year students followed by III year students, followed by I year students ,followed by IIyear students. Conclusion:The study result suggest that the knowledge attitude and practice regarding anaphylaxis among dental students is adequate.

Relationships between morphological facies and the evolutionary processes of petroplinthites in the Southern Espinhaço Range (SE-Brazil)

Morphological facies of petroplinthites describe how soil components such as the soil matrix, nodules, pores, and coatings relate to each other in space. French scientists have extensively used such descriptions to interpret evolutionary processes and stages of petroplinthites (laterites, ferruginous duricrusts, ironstones) in Central and Western Africa. However, there has been little progress using the interpretation of petroplinthite facies in other parts of the world. This study explores the protocol in Brazilian petroplinthites with the aim of defining processes and identifying evolutionary stages based on analysis of the morphological differences in the petroplinthites from a pedogenetic perspective. The studies were concentrated in the Southern Espinhaço Range, southeast Brazil, and covered Petric or Pisoplinthic Plinthosol (Petroferric Oxisols) profiles with a wide morphological variety of petroplinthites. Based on a literature review, the aim was to standardize concepts and define the different morphological facies, before applying them to the petroplinthites of the study area. Geochemical and mineralogical analyses were added to the description of the facies to interpret the main pedogenetic processes and evolutionary sequences among the profiles. As such, macro and micro morphological descriptions were carried out in association with geochemical maps using SEM-EDS, and specific mineralogical characterization was performed using an electronic microprobe to characterize the main morphological facies. XRD, XRF, and magnetic susceptibility analyses were used to interpret the main formation, transformation, and degradation processes of the petroplinthites. The integration of these analyses enabled the association of the morphological facies with the petroplinthite evolutionary processes. Thus, while lamellar facies are shown to be directly associated with saprolitization processes, nodular and massive facies generally represent intense lateritization. Protopisolithic facies are commonly associated with transformation processes, with goethite precipitation and re-cementation of the matrix, while pisolithic facies are formed through degradation processes with intense mineral dissolution. Recovering the protocol for associating macro and micro morphological facies with geochemistry and mineralogy enabled improved interpretation of the genesis of petroplinthites, with clearer and more objective identification of the evolutionary stages, as well as their relationship with the landscape and the hydrological systems and environmental conditions.

Soviet-French Scientific Relationships in the Field of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry in the First Half of the 1970s

In this article, the author analyses the scientific relationship between Soviet and French molecular biologists and biochemists in the first half of the 1970s. This cooperation is associated with the names of the prominent Russian and French scientists. The pioneers of this cooperation were Academicians Alexander Baev, Yuri Ovchinnikov, Alexander Spirin, Lev Kiselev, and other Soviet scientists, and Marianne Grunberg-Manago, François Gros, and Jean-Pierre Ebel, on the French side. Soviet-French scientific cooperation involved numerous research centers on both sides and manifested most vividly in the symposia devoted to “Physico-chemical origin of life”, the first of which was held in 1974 in Pushchino. The symposia were held alternately in the USSR/Russia and France until the mid-1990s. The topic under consideration is not sufficiently reflected in the works of professional historians. Despite the fact that Russian/Soviet/French scientific ties, including those in the field of biology, are to some extent represented in Russian and international literature, only the first steps have been made in the study of effective interaction between molecular biologists and biochemists of the two countries. The paper draws on a wide range of new archival sources from the funds of the Main directorate of the foreign relations of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Institute of molecular biology and some other funds of the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The author study the symposia in Pushino (1974, 1975), Concarno (1975) and the results of the foreign trips of Soviet researchers. The Soviet-French scientific links are analyzed in the context of international political situation. The relations with France were more favorable in comparison with other Western countries, which provided the development of scientific contacts. In the field of molecular biology and biochemistry in the first half of the 1970s we can notice: several symposia in both countries, exchanges of the delegations, mutual trips and joint research of Soviet and French scientists. At the same time the author touches upon the difficulties that hindered international contacts. These problems were common for the Soviet science and were caused by the Iron Curtain and clumsiness of the Soviet bureaucracy.

Research trend of bacterial leaf blight on rice in the millennium era: a bibliometric and scientometric approach for capture future insight

In the 21st century, population growth affects food demand, especially rice. Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causes bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease, the worldwide rice production problem. As pathogen pathotypes vary, research into disease control advances rapidly. Thus, these trends must be mapped to inform future studies. This study aims to examine previous research using bibliometric and scientometric methods to inform future research. Scopus publication data was analyzed utilizing VOSviewer and CiteSpace. Research progress, popular research, productive countries, productive researchers, essential keywords, and global collaboration were explored. Analysis of recent research data predicts future trends. The findings indicate that 21st-century BLB research is advancing at an astounding rate and significantly surpasses that of previous periods, with 596 articles (91.69%) published during this era. Agricultural and Biological Sciences is the leading focus due to its substantial emphasis on genetics-related issues. A statistical analysis of the most prolific countries over the past two decades reveals that the United States, China, and India produce the highest number of articles. China and India are the two largest rice producers, respectively. Nevertheless, the most productive authors reveal that Szurek B (a French scientist) ranks first with a staggering twenty articles. Three main research clusters were found that consisted of “antibacterial agents vs. bacterial disease,” “plant resistance and immunity mechanisms,” and “pathogen virulence and pathogenicity genes.” The study about resistance genes against disease became the most cited article. We concluded that there are several future insights, including “further investigation into the alternative antibacterial agent and their formulation,” “spatial distribution, severity, and prevalence of BLB in multiple conditions,” “the microbial community on plant leaves,” and “additional research to comprehend the mechanism of the microbial community in the rice rhizosphere.” In addition, research on the stability of plant resistance genes to anticipate changes in pathogen pathotypes will be an alternative topic.

Development of Regenerative Tea Cultivation Models through Dual Approach of Soil and Plant Health Management towards Crop Sustainability, Soil Quality Development, Pesticide Reduction and Climate Change Mitigation: A Case Study from Lakhipara Tea Estate,

Climate change is a reality and its impact on the tea plantations is apparent in the rise of pest intensity, higher agrochemical use, inconsistent crop yields, declining grand growth period, increased abiotic stress and various other challenges; that threaten long-term sustainability of the Indian tea sector. The urgency to adopt sustainable practices is increasing by the day but to gain time bound results a comprehensive focus encompassing soil and plant health development will be crucial. To deal with climate challenge head-on, the Indian tea industry is making changes at various levels of operations. The sustainable tea initiative at Lakhipara tea estate, was one such attempt by the Goodricke Group Limited in their Dooars tea growing region of West Bengal. The program was initiated in 2014 with an aim to reduce pesticide use, improve soil quality, and produce quality teas while sustaining crop yields, improving renewable energy use and lowering the carbon footprint. Adoption of Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology and taking the essence from ‘Trophobiosis Theory’ of French Scientist F. Chaboussou, the program focused on management of soil and plant health. Three years evaluation of crop yields in respect of the budgeted crop, revealed on an average an excess of 78 kg/ha/year in the project area. In rest of the garden area a contrasting crop loss of 118 kg was recorded per ha during the same period. The higher crop performance positively correlated with the higher nutrient use efficiency which was 17.7 percent higher in the project area (NUENPK : 8.86) as compared to the general garden area (NUENPK : 7.53), which reflected the impact of plant health management towards enhanced nutrient uptake, assimilation and utilization. Assessment of pesticide usage, revealed up to 77% decrease in usage in the project area during 2014-16, as compared to the pre- project year. Comparison with pesticide usage of the Dooars tea growing region during this same period, indicated a 62% lower Crop Pesticide Pollution Index (CPPI) in the project area. The finding indicated a 52 to 77% reduction in the accumulated toxicity potential of the applied pesticides in the project area; thereby accrediting safer tea development under this program, when adjudged in terms of pesticide residue. Assessment of soil quality revealed an overall eight percent increment in Soil Fertility Index (FI) value, with significant improvement in soil microbial activity potential (MAP) values i.e., by almost four times. The finding pointed towards the favourable impact of soil health management primarily through Novcom composting towards enhancement of soil microbial interactions. Post three years of experimentation the overall Soil Quality Iindex (SQI) value increased by 6% in the project area. The finding corroborated a concurrent 6.72% increase in the soil organic carbon stock during the same period. Reduction in use of non- renewable inputs viz. chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the project area was indicated by approximately 40 percent enhancement in energy use efficiency and energy productivity post the assessment period. Carbon assessment in terms of kg CO2 equivalents/ kg made tea (using ACFA version 1.0) indicated approx. 65 to 70 % lower footprint in the project area, primarily due to 20 to 30 % reduction in chemical fertilizers and 60 to 70 % reduction in the use of synthetic pesticides. The results indicated that while integrated soil management is the pre-requisite criteria towards rejuvenation of soil health and for restoration of the habitat for predators, it does not play a direct role in reducing the pest pressure and simultaneously the requirement of pesticides. Physiologically activated plants/ bushes on the other hand; due to their higher nutrient assimilation capacity and efficient protein synthesis are always lesser susceptible to pest attack. Hence, focus on activation of plant physiology can reduce the plant- pest interaction leading to a natural reduction in the requirement for pesticides vis-à-vis the pesticide usage.

Vaccine Science Diplomacy and "The Phenomenon of Man".

The central tenets of international scientific collaborations leading to the development, testing, and the equitable distribution vaccines to combat poliomyelitis, smallpox, COVID-19, and other devasting infections, first accelerated in the mid-twentieth century. The genesis of vaccine science diplomacy also coincides with the publication of Le Phénomène Humain (The Phenomenon of Man) shortly after the death of its author, the French Jesuit priest and scientist, Dr. Teilhard de Jardin. Several tenets of Teilhard's posthumous essay, including our collective consciousness, and the "conjugated faces" of science and religion, are relevant to a modern vaccine diplomacy framework, even if Teilhard may not have specifically addressed vaccines in his writings. This could also include the potential for arriving at an "omega point" through international scientific collaboration and joint vaccine development, while simultaneously avoiding the destructive forces of anti-vaccine or anti-science activism. Collaborations between the Vatican, Catholic research universities and institutions; and leaders of the Catholic-majority nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America in an integrated framework might accelerate these activities as they apply to both pandemic threats and neglected diseases of poverty.

MICHEL FOUCAULT AS THE FOUNDER OF THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOURSE

The article deals with topical issues of the contribution of the French sociologist Michel Foucault to the development of sociological science. The authors of the article show that the scientist became one of the founders of the doctrine of discourse, considering the issues of interaction between society and government. The article also identifies milestones in the biography of the sociologist, and presents his main works. The views of the French scientist on the nature of power are analyzed. The authors conclude that the significance of M. Foucault's works for sociological science lies in the fact that he developed the concept of "archaeology of knowledge", which allows us to explore the historical, social and political conditions of the emergence and operation of knowledge, introduced the concept of discourse.

Early history of the study of bone growth (1722–1875)

IntroductionBone growth is a fascinating process, primarily due to its complexity. Equally engaging is the history of its study, which, however, remains unknown to most anatomists and surgeons.Materials and methodsA literature search was performed in original publications and historical sources.ResultsThe early history of bone growth study may be divided into two periods. Firstly, the experimental one, between 1722 and 1847, which consisted in the study of bone growth by the drilling of benchmark holes into the diaphysis, and examination of growing bones in madder-fed animals. In the course of one century, four French scientists (Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau, Marie-Jean-Pierre Flourens, Gaspard Auguste Brullé and Frédéric Léopold Hugueny) and one British researcher (John Hunter) proved experimentally that the longitudinal growth of long bones occurred only at its epiphyseal ends and their final shape resulted from apposition and resorption processes taking place simultaneously both on the periosteal and intramedullary surfaces of the bone. In the second, the microscopic period (1836–1875), the physeal growth cartilage was discovered and described in detail, including its importance for the longitudinal growth of long bones. The first description of growth cartilage was published by a Swiss anatomist Miescher in 1836. Subsequently, this structure was studied by a number of English, German and French anatomists and surgeons. This whole period was concluded by Alfred Kölliker´s extensive study of bone resorption and its significance for typical bone shapes and Karl Langer´s study of the vascular supply of the growing and mature bone.ConclusionResearch by French, English, German and Swiss scientists between 1727 and 1875 yielded fundamental insights into the growth of long bones, most of which are still valid today.

Interviewing Didier Raoult: The scientist who breaks the frame

This paper examines how normative roles of interaction in broadcast news interviews are disrupted during interviews with French expert immunologist and scientist Didier Raoult. The analysis is based on the organisation of the news interview as a particular form of institutional talk, and on the discursive features of expertise. There are three key aspects to the construction of Raoult as a central figure of the pandemic scene in France. The first is his prominent media presence online, the second is his regular appeal to historical events, in relation to France and to his family, and the third is his own status as director of a team of epidemiology experts at the IHU (Institut Hospitalier Universitaire) in Marseille. In the three interviews in the data set, these three aspects emerge as legitimate discursive grounding for his stance regarding the pandemic, and relevant treatment for the virus. The paper is organised as follows: the first part is a presentation of Didier Raoult and the mediated context from which the corpus of interviews is selected. In the second, the discussion focuses on the discourse of scientific expertise, and how Raoult constructs his expert status in the interviews. The final part will analyse how he puts this expert status to work as a discursive resource for disrupting the interactional norms that generally hold between journalists on the one hand, and interviewees on the other.

Постколониальный дискурс: теория, методология и практика применения (на примере этнополитического сепаратизма в Африке)

The purpose of this work is to study the possibilities of the postcolonial discourse theory by E. Said and his methodology for developing the basic principles of the concept of ethnopolitical separatism in postcolonial African countries. The scientific direction of postcolonial studies, to which it belongs, is currently studying a number of topical problems caused by the reproduction of the ideas of colonialism in various forms. The subject of the study is the provisions of the theory of postcolonial discourse, which are important for the description of the concept of ‘postcolonial’ for the practical application. It is established that those concepts that remain relevant are as follows: concept (E. Said), ambivalence (G. Spivak) and cultural ‘third space’ (H. Bhabha). A critical analysis of the development of the theory of postcolonial discourse on the basis of Francophone studies was carried out to describe the manifestation of colonial stereotypes in postcolonial contexts, as well as their reflection in modern foreign policy strategies of France and implementation in the practises of maintaining African ethnopolitical separatism. The role of leading French writers, scientists and public figures in the development of the theory of postcolonial discourse is assessed. The periodisation of the formation of Francophone studies known as the ‘French Library’ is proposed, brief descriptions of each of the three stages, starting from the 90s of the 20th century, are given. Particular attention is paid to the concept of deconstruction of Zh. Derrida, V-I. Mudimbe, A. Mbembe. Using the example of French foreign policy, discursive practises and forms of deconstruction of stereotypes of colonialism in the postcolonial era are considered. The strategies and methods of interference of the former metropolis in the political affairs of the independent African states of the Sahel region, supporting ethnopolitical conflicts, are described. The analysis made it possible to argue that ethnopolitical separatism in the light of the theory of postcolonial discourse should be considered in the context of a special cultural space where modernism and archaicism, democracy and autocracy, colonial and postcolonial are intertwined. It is shown that the ‘postcolonial’ has an ambivalent character, manifested in the binary identity and the mixing of the ideas of constructivism and primordialism. The potential of the theory of postcolonial discourse and the corresponding methodology is revealed, allowing to apply its concepts to study the practises of postcolonial ethnopolitical separatism.