Race in the social sciences (France, 21st century): elements for a comparative synthesis

Despite the widespread, persistent, and overdetermined rejection of the word ‘race’ in the French public discourse, many scholarly works have addressed the issue of race in France over the last three decades. Some focus on the concept or on the history of race and racism. In a somewhat narrower perspective, others deal with the ‘racialization’ of public policies and with how race intersects with gender, class, and religion. What are the main outcomes and the distinctive features of this multidisciplinary scholarship ? This preliminary synthesis of the French output on race in the social sciences provides an answer to that dual question. It also identifies limitations and blind spots that ideally future research ought to overcome.