French debates on the colonial legacy rightly focus on the overseas territories and ‘Françafrique’, but overlook a domination within mainland France itself, rooted in a long-standing French alterophobia. Brittany illustrates this. Unlike the fictional ‘great replacement’, this real ‘great erasure’ remains almost entirely absent from French public debate.
The Great Erasure (2026) Read more
Brittany presents a troubling paradox: its inhabitants say they are happy, yet it has the highest suicide rate in the whole of France. Can this high propensity for suicide be explained by the sudden socio-cultural upheavals of the 20th century, which may have undermined their collective self-esteem?
Suicide and societal culture in Brittany (2023) Read more
The ‘Rassemblement National’ is on the rise: does this mean that French nationalism is making a comeback? This common misconception masks a flaw in the analysis. For French nationalism has never disappeared; it has simply transformed. Alongside Marine Le Pen, other forms of nationalism have continued to thrive, on both the left and the right. Debunking a myth.
Is there a revival of French nationalism? (2021) Read more
Branded “populist” and delegitimised by the Parisian elites, the 2013 Red Caps movement actually showed striking parallels with the famous revolt of 1675. This analysis reveals how centuries-old anti-Breton stereotypes still influence the elites’ view of Brittany.
Brittany’s New ‘Bonnets Rouges’ and their Critics (2015) Read more
The author draws striking parallels between the history of the Bretons and that of oppressed Black people or the Irish. Stereotypical portrayals, emigration, strategies of assimilation: the similarities are striking. But behind these parallels, he highlights the profound differences that preclude any confusion between their histories, their fates and their struggles.
Are the Bretons the ‘white niggers’ of France? (2013) Read more
What does Breton really mean to its speakers? This unique survey combines quantitative data and personal accounts to decipher the intimate links between language, territory and identity. From power structures to social divisions, the analysis reveals how to save a doomed language. Three urgent measures emerge from this in-depth study.
We have met the enemy, and he is us’: Reversing Language Shift in Brittany (2013) Read more
The Bretons suffer from an inferiority complex rooted in French cultural dominance. While experiencing cultural revival through music and traditions, they avoid political reflection about their identity. Breton nationalism remains intellectually coherent but disconnected from ordinary people’s daily concerns, lacking the political strategy needed for meaningful change in contemporary Brittany.
Tourists or pigs (2005) Read more
This study examines Brittany’s borders: external (sea as crossroads, disputed Loire-Atlantique separation) and internal (micro-countries, linguistic frontier). Despite Breton language decline, cultural boundaries persist through subjective identity construction. Historical borders like Loth’s Lines may still influence contemporary attitudes toward Breton culture, demonstrating how borders shape identities beyond their original functions.
Brittany’s borders (2004) Read more
Awkward laughter, blushing, discomfort… Speaking Breton provokes the same reactions as talking about sexuality. This disturbing discovery reveals a taboo deeply rooted in Breton society. Between collective shame and broken transmission, the investigation unveils the psychological mechanisms that keep a language in the shadows. How can this silence be broken?
The Breton Language: from Taboo to Recognition (2000) Read more