Between Postcolonialism and Equal Partnership
The Legitimization Strategies of French Military Interventions in Mali and the Central African Republic
French interventionism in African countries often faces accusation of postcolonialism. Although President Hollande announced that France would build equal relations towards African states, he decided to intervene in Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR). Contributing to understandings of France's Africa policy, this thesis compares the legitimization discourse of French military operations in Mali and the CAR. It provides new findings by examining postcolonial legitimization strategies as well as contrasting strategies based on equal partnership through a qualitative content analysis.
