Colonial Philosophies, Urban Space, and Racial Segregation in British and French Colonial Africa

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-2008

Keywords

colonial Africa, colonialism, domination, racism, racial segregation, social control, urban planning

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1177/0021934706288447

Abstract

British colonial authorities adhered to a philosophy of racial segregation while their French counterparts subscribed to one that segregates along socioeconomic and cultural lines. This article interrogates the rationale for these two colonial philosophies and addresses the following questions: How were these philosophies given physical expression in colonial urban space? Why did the two seemingly opposing philosophies produce identical racially segregated urban space? It is argued that although the two colonial powers had different racial philosophies, they shared common cultural, psychological, political, social, and ideological objectives that were best accomplished through racially segregated space.

Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Journal of Black Studies, v. 38, issue 4, p. 579-599

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