Revival and Resistance in Corsica : Youth, Language, and Nationalism

Sammanfattning

This thesis addresses minority nationalism among the youth of Corsica, focusing on how the 18-30 years old of the island take part in a movement of resistance aiming to gain independence from France, amid marginalization and linguistic endangerment. It examines how, despite previous militants having appealed to violent methods such as bombings or assassinations, newer generations invoke new methods to reach their goal. Indeed, by working on cultural preservation or linguistic practices, the Corsican youth revisits not only what it means to be Corsican, but also to be an activist. By setting the emphasis on daily practices forming the nation, the present work draws on two months of fieldwork conducted in the cities of Corte and Bastia, where the youth is concentrated and performs nationalism as an act of resistance. Key findings emerging from interviews, bibliographical research and participant observation reveal that nationalism among the youth in Corsica is reproduced in the form of daily practices rather than grand, overt acts; dressing a specific way, singing the traditional songs, carrying stickers or consuming local products become central practices among the youth, after decades of violence. The debates over belonging and identity, as well as the challenges surrounding the language, which are closely tied to nationalism in the Corsican case, are placed in dialogue with the ideas and practices of the interlocutors’ elders, indicating a major intergenerational shift.