Spatialities of the French Empire in Comparative Perspective

My project, which I will conduct at École Normale Supérieure in Paris, explores historical questions at the intersection of environmental history and Indigenous studies. While in Paris, I will work closely with staff and researchers at ENS to examine how French imperial and colonial regimes structured the lives of Indigenous peoples through the disciplining of the environment in France’s various territories. Ultimately, my research seeks to understand how Indigenous peoples asserted their inherent political power against French regimes by triangulating imperial logics, Indigenous sovereignty, and the environment. My project will take a comparative approach but will primarily center on French Guiana (Guyane) over the longue durée.