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French Land, Algerian People: Nineteenth-Century French Discourse On Algeria And Its Consequences, Paige Gulley

Voces Novae

Language is fundamental in shaping our understanding of the world we live, and as such, studies of discourse are invaluable in providing insight into the worldviews of historical actors. Though much has been written on the depiction of colonized peoples and its Oriental undertones, little has been said about the discourse on a colony itself. In examining the French discourse on Algeria in the nineteenth century, it becomes clear that the French privileged Algeria as a rich and valuable resource for France even as they decried the “backwardness” of the people of Algeria. While ignoring its inhabitants completely or discussing …