Music in the service of ideas: Algeria as seen by the French authorities and Algeria in Flames by René Vautier

Abstract

Beyond its social dimension and its power of emotion, music has issues of power and certain political logics can lead to its instrumentalization. The history of humanity gives evidence of music to music annexed by political regimes, but in addition all music holding identities and values that appeal to tolerance and resistance. The interest of this article concerns the political aim of the music in two documentary films of propaganda and counter-propaganda on Algeria in the colonial period: Algeria seen by the French authorities in 1958 | INA’s Archives, and Algeria in Flame by René Vautier. Both of these productions that represent two opposing political visions since one is favorable to the colonial occupation and the other refutes it. The idea is to discover how these two productions manage music as a narrative tool to reinforce the feeling of identity and convey a political discourse.