“Cherchez la femme”: African Gendarmes, Quarrelsome Women, and French Commanders in French West Africa, 1945–1960
“Cherchez la femme”: African Gendarmes, Quarrelsome Women, and French Commanders in French West Africa, 1945–1960
The article focuses on the social conditions of African women civilians while living in military space in French West Africa (FWA) between 1945 and 1960. The author discusses the history of the French National Gendarmerie, explores how the presence of African women within the gendarmerie bases impacted military routine, and examines the social context of colonial paternalism.
CITATION: Ginio, Ruth. “Cherchez la femme”: African Gendarmes, Quarrelsome Women, and French Commanders in French West Africa, 1945–1960 . : African Studies Centre, Boston University , 2014. The International Journal of African Historical Studies , Vol. 47, No. 1, 2014, pp. 37-54 - Available at: https://library.au.int/“cherchez-la-femme”-african-gendarmes-quarrelsome-women-and-french-commanders-french-west-africa-8