Political Science
French Colonialism in Cameroon: The Institution of the French Language and its Control Over the Language(s), Politics and Religions of Cameroon
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Political Science
Start Date
13-4-2018 9:15 AM
End Date
13-4-2018 10:15 AM
Sponsor
Sylvie Vanbaelen (Butler University)
Description
My thesis claims that the French colonization still affects Cameroon, and that there are negative effects to the usage of the French language within Cameroon in terms of religion, politics, and language. Comprehensive research regarding this topic is necessary to understand why there is conflict between the Anglophone and Francophone populations of Cameroon. There is also a psychological element to this issue since language shapes how we think and see the world. Language affects the mind and establishing the language of the colonizer as the "superior language" in a colony is the first cultural step of colonialism. I would like to expose a potential effect of the continual use of the French language on indigenous language which could be death of indigenous languages. Language extinction further leads to the death of cultures and common history among populations in Cameroon. It is also crucial to understand the relationship between colonialism and the prevalence of certain religions in Cameroon which also shape people's beliefs, views of the world, and how they relate to other people. Finally, the establishment of a "superior" colonial language helps to create a socioeconomic gap within a society and can explain contemporary conflicts in many states that have been colonized, including Cameroon. By addressing these subtopics of my overall thesis, I will shape a comprehensive case study of contemporary conflicts in Cameroon and their relationship to the French language established through colonialism. This could potentially be further used to address similar structures in other colonized states.
French Colonialism in Cameroon: The Institution of the French Language and its Control Over the Language(s), Politics and Religions of Cameroon
Indianapolis, IN
My thesis claims that the French colonization still affects Cameroon, and that there are negative effects to the usage of the French language within Cameroon in terms of religion, politics, and language. Comprehensive research regarding this topic is necessary to understand why there is conflict between the Anglophone and Francophone populations of Cameroon. There is also a psychological element to this issue since language shapes how we think and see the world. Language affects the mind and establishing the language of the colonizer as the "superior language" in a colony is the first cultural step of colonialism. I would like to expose a potential effect of the continual use of the French language on indigenous language which could be death of indigenous languages. Language extinction further leads to the death of cultures and common history among populations in Cameroon. It is also crucial to understand the relationship between colonialism and the prevalence of certain religions in Cameroon which also shape people's beliefs, views of the world, and how they relate to other people. Finally, the establishment of a "superior" colonial language helps to create a socioeconomic gap within a society and can explain contemporary conflicts in many states that have been colonized, including Cameroon. By addressing these subtopics of my overall thesis, I will shape a comprehensive case study of contemporary conflicts in Cameroon and their relationship to the French language established through colonialism. This could potentially be further used to address similar structures in other colonized states.