French Leftism Day 3| Ideological and Cultural War in France

3rd and final session of our series of talks and film screenings on social movements and antifascism in France.

In any democracy, the real battle isn’t just at the ballot box; it’s also in the minds of the people. To win politically, one must first achieve what Antonio Gramsci called «cultural hegemony». According to his theory, power is maintained not just through force, but by controlling the narrative or worldviews through ideological apparatuses. Whoever defines «common sense» wins the battle.

We will analyze how the different french political leanings weaponize many pillars of society: education, mass media, alternative media (such as YouTube), social networks, the arts (music, cinema, literature), sports, etc.

Specifically, we will examine, with examples, the methods used by the far-right and far-left to spread their ideologies. This will highlight actionable strategies to adopt or threats to neutralize while there is still time.

This session will take the recent accidental death of a French neo-fascist caused by antifascists as a case study to examine the strategies used by both the far right and the radical left to spread their narratives and push their political agendas.