Colonizing the Mind: The Effect of French Colonization on Education Systems in Algeria, Senegal, and Vietnam

This paper will examine the effects of French colonization on the education systems of three ex-colonies: Algeria, Senegal, and Vietnam. This will be accomplished by first exploring the goals of French colonial policy and the doctrines of assimilation and association. Then, the paper will examine three case studies of Algeria, Senegal, and Vietnam by looking at historical context of French colonization, independence, indigenous education, French colonial education, and finally modern day education within each country. Finally, this paper argues that the modern-day education systems in these three countries continue to represent the political and economic interests of their ex-colonizer, France