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Francophonie: a language-based movement in world politics1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2009

Brian Weinstein
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Extract

Because of France's traditional use of culture and language as an instrument of foreign policy, it would be easy to dismiss any movement involving French as serving her national interests. Francophonie, whose purpose is to strengthen the French language and serve the interests of those who use it, depends on nongovernmental organizations and subunits of government in about 26 countries. Its leaders claim it serves the purposes of all French-speaking peoples and that it is transnational or outside the control of governments. In fact, however, some French elites do try to control directly and indirectly the formal organizations of Francophonie, and, thus, it may fail to become a transnational force in world politics. On the other hand, the work done by professionals and language specialists to strengthen French, to extend it to the masses and to build a closed circuit for the communication of vital information responds to needs for protection against so-called “Americanization” and for access to modernization. Therefore, despite its intangible nature, a new cultural force might emerge, and it then could affect the way states interact with each other.

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Articles
Information
International Organization , Volume 30 , Issue 3 , Summer 1976 , pp. 485 - 507
Copyright
Copyright © The IO Foundation 1976

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References

2 For the idea of language strengthening see Fishmen, Joshua, Sociolinguistics: A Brief Introduction (Rowley: Newbury House, 1972), pp. 24–28.Google Scholar. For a discussion of language loyalty see Weinreich, Uriel, Languages in Contact: Findings and Problems (The Hague: Mouton, 1966), pp. 99–102Google Scholar.

3 For this approach I am using Spiio's, Herbert J. paper, “Interdependence: A Third Option Between National Sovereignty and Supra-National Integration”, (Paper prepared for the Ninth World Congress of the International Political Science Association, Montreal, 08 19–25, 1973)Google Scholar, and Keohane, Robert o. and Nye, Joseph S. Jr, . “Introduction” and “Conclusion,” in Keohane, Robert O. and Nye, Joseph S. Jr, ., (eds.) Transnational Relations and World Politics (Cambridge: Harvard, 1972), pp. xvi, 371CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

4 This is not necessarily a sign of the possible decline in the number of French-speaking scientists, for the latter often prefer English for their articles and books in order to reach a large audience.

5 Kelman, Herbert C. has dealt with the distinction between instrumental and sentimental attachments to language in his chapter, “Language as an Aid and Barrier to Involvement in the National System,” in Rubin, Joan and Jernudd, Bjorn H. (eds.), Can Language Be Planned? (Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii, An East-West Center Book, 1971), pp. 21–51Google Scholar.

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8 Not all of these concerns were felt at the same time. Some came in the late 1960s or early 1970s. For a general introduction see Une certaine révolution tranquille (Ottawa: La Presse, 1975)Google Scholar. For a discussion of the population question see Arés, Richard, “Francophones et Anglophones au Canada: Le recensement de 1971…,” in Relations (Montreal), No. 372, 06 1972, pp. 170–72Google Scholar.

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27 For a complete history of ACCT see Cristine Desouches née Ulrich, L’ Organisation de la Francophonie, unpublished Mémoire de Relations Internationales, University of Paris I, Département U.E.R. de Sciences Politiques, Session Octobre–Novembre 1971. See also Malone, Mark, La Francophonie–1965–1971–Un cadre institutionnel–Reflet des réaltiés Francophones, unpublished thesis, Doctorat de Recherche, Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, Paris 1971Google Scholar, and, Couture, Jean-Claude, Recherche d' une définition de la Francophonie ou principes élémentaires de la Francophonie, unpublished thesis, 2éme Cycle, University of Strasbourg, 1968Google Scholar.

28 The new man, Dan Koulodo Dan Dicko, has a doctorate in chemistry from the French University of Montpellier and has taught in France and in the Ivory Coast.

29 See Le Monde, 3 December 1975, p. 7.

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31 Interview, M. Georges Riond, President of the Comite, Paris, 26 April 1973.

32 Le Monde, 7 September 1972, p. 7.

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38 Reprinted in Revue des Parlementaires de Langue Françhise, September 1974, No. 18, p. 103.

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40 Commander Didier Ratsiraka, “Charter of the Malagasy Socialist Revolution,” reprinted in Malagasy News (Washington: Embassy of Madagascar, 4 November 1975), p. 50.

41 Interview, Professor Abel Rabehanta, University of Tananarive, 3 February 1973.

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