Teritoriální cleavage: vývoj vztahů a postoje kontinentální Francie k požadavkům korsického ostrovního společenství
Territorial Cleavage: The Development of the Relations and Attitudes of Continental France towards the Insular Society of Corsica

Summary/Abstract: This article deals with the relations between two different cultures existing within one state: the dominant culture is continental France and the peripheral one is the insular society of Corsica. This article reviews the historical background of the problem in France and subsequently analyzes the response of the administrative center to the Corsican independence struggle. Regarding the cultural, historical and political differences, the distinct experiences of these two cultures, the collective identity of the Corsican community and the institutionalization of its ethnic-regional representatives, the situation can be described as a center-periphery cleavage. The Corsican society – asking for autonomy within the state or even for separation – faces the domination of the administrative center. This independence struggle originates within the community, which is the reason why the dominant culture has several times modified its strategy for dealing with the demands and violence of Corsican patriots. The analysis illustrates the power and the limits of the independence struggle of this small island that is still economically dependent on France.

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