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Streetology blows up a paradox: French working-class neighbourhoods are constantly dismissed as places 'empty' of politics and social norms, yet they have become a focal point of political debate. From urban uprisings and pandemic-era solidarity to the global resonance of French rap and mobilizations against police violence, the neighbourhood exerts an undeniable political force—yet its internal logic remains widely misunderstood.
This book introduces "streetology," an original analytical framework that treats political organizing and popular culture as two sides of the same coin. Drawing on first-hand ethnographic research in Corbeil-Essonnes, the author explores the grit and complexity of grassroots activism. These are considered alongside cultural artifacts of the "street"—from rap lyrics and series like The Wire and Top Boy to the films of Merawi Gerima—to show how they function as political manifestoes. By applying this lens, Rabaté reveals that popular culture is not just entertainment, but a vital tool for rethinking power in the modern West.
This book is aimed at a wide audience interested in popular culture and its influence on political issues.
Ulysse Rabaté is a political science researcher at CRESPPA (University Paris 8) and teaches at the University of Rennes. His work focuses on the political practices of contemporary working classes, considered in relation to institutions, but also in terms of their cultural impact. He was elected in Corbeil-Essonnes and, during the 2010s, opposed what was known as the ‘Dassault system’, named after the billionaire who had set up a clientelist system of vote buying in this working-class town in the Paris region. This extraordinary experience now feeds into his research on corruption, modes of resistance and the ordinary relationship with politics.
Introduction: Thinking about working-class neighbourhoods: a French path worth discussing
Chapter 1: Moments of denial
Chapter 2: What can the social sciences do?
Chapter 3: Illusion of the disappearance of politics
Chapter 4: A culture of working-class neighbourhoods?
Chapter 5: Images of Streetology
Chapter 6: New conventions underpinned by new world views
Chapter 7: From chronicle to politics
Conclusion: The worst as a driving force?