Put at the Test in the Terrorist Threat Era
Eötvös Loránd University A.Y. 2017/2018 THE “HOMELAND OF HUMAN RIGHTS” PUT AT THE TEST IN THE TERRORIST THREAT ERA France, collective memory and counterterrorism Author: Mathilde Bénard Director: Orsolya Salát 1 I would like to thank Orsolya Salát, my research director, for her advice and confidence throughout the semester, The EMA programme, which has truly been a unique, rich and pushing experience, intellectually and humanly ; The EMA staff, who made it possible by always staying supportive and demanding with the 90 of us, All those with whom I shared this year, Laura and Kristina, my Foscarini fellows and the best partners I could have thought of to begin this new experience with ; Victoria and Eva, for the discussions, exchanges, doubts, but most of all the laughs we shared in this now city of ours, Finally, my family, Agnès and Cécile, of course, And my parents, who supported and trusted in me, as they always do... merci. 2 ABTRACT The impact and instrumentalization of collective memory has been broadly addressed in nationalist/ authoritarian contexts, albeit very much less in democratic ones. France's national identity has been very much constructed on its rich History, and still upholds today –to the world but most of all for its citizens– an image of “Homeland of Human rights” rooted on the 1789 French Revolution. The thesis questions this image as to its origins, validity and perpetration through the years. In the light of this idealized national image, it then addresses the current counterterrorism measures adopted by the French State since 2015 Charlie Hebdo dreadful attacks.
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