Picturing Decolonisation

This thesis analyses how the legacy of Algerian decolonisation has visually resonated in history textbooks published in France since 1970. With increasing tensions between Algeria and France and the role of colonialism remaining a central point of contention in French public debates, the memories of the Algerian War of Independence are as relevant as ever. Their transmission in textbooks has long been a source of controversy in France. As they are multifaceted mediums subject to political, economic, and social interests, this thesis aims to highlight that historical narratives in textbooks are in constant flux - and that visuals are not neutral conveyors of history. The main question guiding this research is: how have French history textbooks visually represented Algerian decolonisation since 1970? How has that representation evolved? Through a qualitative approach, this study analyses textbook iconography over 50 years to trace and outline the development of how textbooks visually engage with the history of the Algerian War of Independence. The research reveals that the visual representation of Algerian decolonisation gradually shifted to depict the more controversial and obscured events of the conflict, continuously anchored in a French context. The findings highlight a cautious and non-linear remediation of the war according to contemporary societal self-descriptions and issues. They demonstrate how politics of memory, through the demands of external actors, has shaped visual representations, and the role of various textbook elements in constructing overarching narratives. This thesis contributes to existing research on French textbooks through its visual approach and analysis of recent textbooks, and emphasises the need to study how visuals contribute to the construction of historical narratives in this educational medium.