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Anti-Corsican sentiment or Anti-Corsianism is hostility, rejection, discrimination against and/or hatred towards Corsica, Corsican culture or the Corsican ethnic group. In the 21st century, some denounce the use of the term as a victimization phenomenon. [1]
Some stereotypes of Corsicans include that they don't like tourists, [2] that they are racist or lazy, [2] or that they are terrorists or members of mafia groups. [2] [3]
The Greek geographer Strabo wrote: [4] «The island of Cyrnos, which the Romans call Corsica, is a terrible country to inhabit, given the harsh nature of the soil and the almost absolute lack of passable roads, which means that the populations are confined to the mountains and reduced to living by banditry , are wilder than wild beasts. This is what we can, moreover, verify without leaving Rome, because it often happens that the Roman generals make raids on the island, unexpectedly attack some of the fortresses of these barbarians and thus remove a large number of slaves; we can then closely observe the strange physiognomy of these men, fierce like the beasts of the woods or stupid like cattle, who cannot bear to live in servitude, or who, if they resign themselves not to die, wear out the masters who bought them with their apathy and insensitivity, to the point of making them regret the little money they cost them. There are, however, certain portions of the island, which are strictly habitable, and where we even find a few small towns, such as Blésinon, Charax, Eniconiæ and Vapanes.»
The Corsican population was oppressed under the Genoese domination of the island. The Corsicans were notably overtaxed, despised and most were forcibly expelled from certain large cities, notably Bonifacio and Calvi. [5]
In France, well before the annexation of Corsica by France, descriptions devalue the Corsican population. According to Pierre Davity, the Corsicans are hardly civilized for the most part and there is not in them this politeness that the we see among the Italians. They would be described as "extremely cruel" however Davity notes that they would be brave soldiers. [6]
During the Napoleonic period, the royalists took up the Corsican name of Napoleon Bonaparte, Buonaparte, because they did not recognize his imperial dignity acquired due to his ethnic origins after the breakdown of the Peace of Amiens (1803) and thus refused to use only his first name, sign of his title.
The writer Victor Hugo notably wrote: «Each state has its slave, each kingdom drags its ball and chain. Turkey has Greece, Russia has Poland, England has Ireland and France has Corsica. Alongside each master people, a people of slaves. Poorly built building: half marble, half plaster.» [7]
In 1890, the trip of President Sadi Carnot to Corsica was recounted in Le petit journal, with a circulation of more than a million copies, in an article entitled: «The President among the savages.» [7]
The Corsicans were one of the ethnic groups victimized by the Barbary slave trade and were favored targets for North African slavers and pirates, as a result, many coastal villages were raided by Ottoman fleets. However, some corsairs who kidnapped Corsicans were themselves of Corsican origin who had been kidnapped decades earlier by the Barbarys. [8]
On French social networks, Corsicans are one of the most stereotyped groups and subject to hostility. There was also an awkwardness on the part of Agence France-Presse following a case of racism by speaking directly about Corsica before mentioning that the case is taking place throughout France. [3]
Television host Laurent Ruquier has attracted controversy several times for his hostile jokes towards Corsicans. In 2001, he declared, "Discreetly, Jospin gave himself a little pleasure by firing Zuccarelli: blowing up a Corsican without us hearing the sound of the explosion". He notably declared in 2011, "In Corsica, there are elected officials, beaten elected officials and dejected elected officials. We went from prefects to mayors. When it comes to job cuts on the Isle of Beauty, we're not doing any better". [9]
Interior Minister Manuel Valls declared in 2013 that "Violence is rooted in Corsican culture" following the assassination of PNRC president Jean-Luc Chiappini and asked Corsicans to support French justice. The comments were highlighted and outraged several Corsicans, one of whom questioned him about his comments: “I wanted to tell you that I am Corsican, I work for Corsica and for me violence is not at all part of my culture. I believe that the violence today in Corsica is part of a political and economic context that is difficult to control. But it's a little disheartening to hear that it's part of our culture. It's like there's nothing we can do about it." [10] Many French people disapproved of Manuel Valls' comments. [11]
Comments on social networks also report calls to «must get rid of this island», describing the Corsican population as “inbred” or others like «The only ones who work in your country are the funeral directors because you're shooting at each other like idiots.» or «I want to invest in a bacteriological bomb that I send to Corsica» [3]
In 2023, the attack on a father and his eight-year-old son sick with cancer, supporters of Olympique de Marseille, by supporters of AC Ajaccio leads to an increase in hostility against the Corsicans.
Ajaccio is the capital and largest city of Corsica, France. It forms a French commune, prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud, and head office of the Collectivité territoriale de Corse. It is also the largest settlement on the island. Ajaccio is located on the west coast of the island of Corsica, 210 nautical miles (390 km) southeast of Marseille.
Corsican is a Romance language consisting of the continuum of the Italo-Dalmatian dialects spoken on the Mediterranean island of Corsica (France) and on the northern end of the island of Sardinia (Italy). Corsican is related to the varieties of Tuscan from the Italian peninsula, and therefore also to the Florentine-based standard Italian.
Corte is a commune in the Haute-Corse department, on the island of Corsica, France.
The Corsicans are a Romance Italic ethnic group. They are native to Corsica, a Mediterranean island and a territorial collectivity of France.
Léo Battesti is a Corsican chess enthusiast, activist, and retired politician and militant.
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the French mainland, west of the Italian Peninsula and immediately north of the Italian island of Sardinia, the nearest land mass. A single chain of mountains makes up two-thirds of the island. As of January 2023, it had a population of 351,255.
Italian irredentism in Corsica was a cultural and historical movement promoted by Italians and by people from Corsica who identified themselves as part of Italy rather than France, and promoted the Italian annexation of the island.
Monticello is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.
The Greek community in France numbers around between 35,000 - 50,000 people. They are located all around the country but the main communities are located in Paris, Marseille and Grenoble.
The Tower of Albu is a ruined Genoese tower located in the commune of Ogliastro (Haute-Corse) on the west coast of the Cap Corse on Corsica.
The Tour de Capigliolo is a ruined Genoese tower located in the commune of Casaglione (Corse-du-Sud) on the west coast of the French island of Corsica. The tower sits at a height of 91 metres (299 ft) on the Punta Capigliolo headland to the north of the Golfu di a Liscia.
The Tour de Capitello is a Genoese tower located in the commune of Grosseto-Prugna (Corse-du-Sud) on the coast of the French island of Corsica. The tower lies to the south of Ajaccio near the Porticcio beach.
The Tour d'Erbalunga is a ruined Genoese tower near Erbalunga located in the commune of Brando (Haute-Corse) on the east coast of the Cap Corse on the French island of Corsica.
The Giraglia Tower is a Genoese tower located in the commune of Ersa (Haute-Corse) on the island of Giraglia near the north coast of Corsica. The tower sits near the northern tip of the island, 40 metres (44 yd) from the lighthouse at a height of 60 metres (200 ft) above the sea.
The Tower of Miomu is a Genoese tower located in the commune of Santa-Maria-di-Lota (Haute-Corse) on the east coast of the Corsica. The tower sits on the shore about 6 km north of the port of Bastia.
The Tower of Pelusella is a ruined Genoese tower located in the commune of Appietto on the west coast of Corsica. The ruins sit on a headland at the northern end of the Golfe de Lava. Only part of the base survives.
The Genoese towers in Corsica are a series of coastal defences constructed by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to stem the attacks by Barbary pirates.
Corsican nationalism is the concept of a cohesive nation of Corsica and a national identity of its people. The Corsican autonomy movement stems from Corsican nationalism and advocates for further autonomy for the island, if not outright independence from France.
The Corsican mafia is a set of criminal groups originating from Corsica. The mafia is closely tied to both the French underworld and the Italian Mafia. The Corsican mafia is an influential organized crime structure operating in France, Russia, and many African and Latin American countries.
The 2015 Corsican protests were a series of marches by several hundred Corsican nationalists that began on 25 December, in Ajaccio, capital of Corsica. During the initial demonstrations, a Muslim prayer hall was burned down and Qur'ans were set alight. Further protests were organised after the initial march despite a government ban on protests until 4 January 2016. The protesters claimed to be acting in revenge for an incident that occurred the day prior when firefighters and police were assaulted in the neighbourhood of Les Jardins de l'Empereur; however, outside observers labeled the ensuing riots as anti-Arab and anti-Muslim. The Corsican nationalist politicians have claimed their view does not legitimise xenophobia, blaming the protest on French nationalism instead. Scholarly opinions on this claim are divided.
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