The French Paradox: or how to study the racial question without race category?

Abstract

This text is structured around the following question: how does France approach the racial issue given that French State prohibits the use of race category? The central argument is that studies on racial question in hexagonal France practice an ethnic and racial bricolage based on legal (nationality) and geographical (country and region) categories. Aiming to contribute with the literature inscribed in the historical sociology of racism, this paper is empirically informed by the studies conducted in France by the National Institute of Demographic Studies (INED), the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) and the National Consultative Commission on Men’s Rights (CNCDH). Based on these studies, an overview of the racial issue in contemporary metropolitan France is constructed in order to analyse the French paradox: despite the persistence of racism in French society, race sociological category is prohibited by the French State.Keywords: Census; France; Race; Racism; Statistics.