„Métissage“ als Konzept in den Geisteswissenschaften zur Erklärung kultureller Fusionen: das Beispiel Neu-Frankreich im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert1

Abstract

The concept of „métissage“ – paralleled by the notions „miscegenation” and “hybridity“ – is currently witnessing huge attention in the various disciplines of the humanities. Authors who reflected upon its sociological, ethnological, historical, philosophical and anthropological dimensions include Claude Lévi-Strauss, Jean-Loup Amselle, Jean-Luc Bonniol, Serge Gruzinski, Gilles
Havard and others. The article discusses the most recent debates on the concept of “métissage”,
in connection with arguments put forward in the context of genocide studies and globalisation
theories. On this background, the article presents the case study of New France from the 17th
to the 18th century. Mixed marriages between Indian women and French settlers / traders were
part of a colonial policy to advance French assimilation and Catholic conversion, which were
often also made the very preconditions for celebrating such unions.