Photo : © La relance raciste, revue Esprit, octobre 2026
Facing the Racist Resurgence
As part of the series "The World on a Thread," the Bpi is offering a conference on anti-racism.
Bibliothèque publique d'information (Paris 12th)
About
Has anti-racism lost its political self-evidence? While racist rhetoric and prejudices we might have hoped belonged to another era are once again circulating freely in the public sphere, anti-racist movements are struggling to form a united front against this worrying resurgence. How can we reconcile scholarly discourse, which informs us about the specific logics of different forms of racism, a principled commitment to equal rights, and the unified political struggle that would allow us to combat the concrete effects of racism in France today?
With
- Anne Lafont, art historian and director of studies at the EHESS
- Michaël Foessel, philosopher and professor at the University of Lausanne
Moderated by
- Anne-Lorraine Bujon, editor-in-chief of the magazine Esprit
Our take on this event
Some old ghosts are haunting our public discourse again, making the fight for equality feel more fragmented than ever. This event invites you to join a sharp conversation between leading scholars, aimed at turning awareness into a more unified and effective movement.
The Bibliothèque publique d’information in the 12th arrondissement hosts a talk titled Face à la relance raciste on Monday, November 30, 2026. This free event examines the challenges faced by anti-racist movements in organizing a unified front against the current rise of public racist rhetoric. Participants explore how to bridge the gap between academic research on racist structures and the practical political action needed to ensure equal rights today. The session is scheduled from 19:00 to 20:00, providing an hour of rigorous discussion with experts to help attendees better understand and counter these worrying contemporary societal trends.
The event Face à la relance raciste focuses on the apparent decline of anti-racism as a unified political evidence. As racist speech and prejudices once thought to be outdated circulate freely again, the discussion addresses why anti-racist movements are struggling to counter this resurgence. Speakers aim to find common ground between scholarly insights and the concrete, militant action necessary to combat the real-world effects of racism in France.
The debate is moderated by Anne-Lorraine Bujon, editor-in-chief of the journal Esprit. She is joined by two distinguished guests: art historian and EHESS director of studies Anne Lafont, and philosopher and University of Lausanne professor Michaël Foessel. Through their dialogue, they examine the mechanisms of current racist discourses and the ways in which academic and political spheres can effectively unite.
This talk takes place on Monday, November 30, 2026, from 19:00 to 20:00 at the Bibliothèque publique d’information, located at 40, avenue des Terroirs de France, 75012 Paris. Admission is free for all attendees.
