Blackness: Shaping a New Minority in France

This paper builds on two arguments. First, the existence of a minority requires a publicly articulated volition for recognition and equality. This requirement stems from various efforts to challenge the supremacy of a majority whose legitimacy is suspected to be unfounded. This idea departs from any essentialization of the condition of minority and instead foregrounds its relational dimension. The etymology of the concept of minority constitutes an opportune ground to elaborate further on this insight. The Latin verb that gives the concept of minority, minuere means: “to lessen”. Minority is therefore a disadvantaged and prejudiced group. Its disadvantage is legitimized on the basis of natural(ized) characteristics including sex, skin color, race, etc.  The second argument of is that the aforementioned volition is conveyed through propaganda. One can borrow from Eley and Suny’s analysis of the formation of the nation to fine-tune this argument. These authors posit that the making of the nation requires communication. Yet, communication is also a component of propaganda. Propaganda goes further though. It is a direct intervention in one’s autonomy of decision and thought. It is therefore the use of communicative tool to generate in Other an attitude in conformity with Ego's goal.  The black minority stems basically from a discourse of recognition framed by black organizations. Taking stock of both the volition for equality/recognition, and the development of a propaganda action, I will demonstrate that blackness operates at the intersection of three realms of meanings: discourse, belief, and material production.