The Social Exclusion and Inclusion Seminar presentation by Bruno Perreau , Cynthia L. Reed Professor and Associate Professor of French Studies, MIT; Associate Member, THEMA Laboratory, University of Lausanne

Discussant: Libby Adler Professor of Law and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Northeastern University School of Law

A minority presence, as such, disrupts social order. To the extent that they are raised, educated and socialized in majority institutions, minorities always carries a split in the consciousness of self. Therefore, they are at odds with the representative system. This talk will explore how we could understand representation in terms of this double-voiced identity rather than in terms of delegation and erasure. It will be based on the political discussions that followed the law on marriage equality in France, but also the practical obstacles to the principle of parity in the Macron era. What does it take to be a representative? Which lessons can be learnt across the Atlantic?

Co-Sponsor: Contemporary Europe Study Group