The untold history of modern mentalities.

Where do our most enduring prejudices come from and why do they continue to thrive? 30 historians provide some answers.

What is prejudice?
Prejudice is an opinion, a preconceived idea or a judgement which is usually negative. The book’s editors, Xavier Mauduit and Jeanne Guérout, asked 30 historians who are all experts on a historical period, geographical region or specialism to identify and analyse a specific prejudice and explain when and how it first emerged, how it has evolved and why it is still present today.

More than 30 stereotypes put under the microscope
Prehistoric man and woman lived like animals, barbarians are vandals, haute cuisine is a man’s world, the English are eccentric, women who wear perfume are dangerous, the Japanese are suicidal, the Chinese eat dogs, the French are arrogant, the Mexicans are violent criminals, the colour green is unlucky, the Italians don’t know how to fight, the Germans are unsophisticated, left-handers are clumsy, the Beatles are respectable and the Rolling Stones are hooligans…

30 renowned French and international historians
Michel Pastoureau, Gérard Noiriel, Bénédicte Savoy, Jean-Noël Jeanneney, Antoine de Baecque, Bruno Dumézil, Jean-Pierre Filiu, Diana Cooper-Richet, Laurent Vidal, Jean-Paul Demoule, Yannick Ripa, Xavier Pons, John Tolan, Sabine Dullin, Katell Berthelot, François Jarrige, Clément Fabre, Delphine Diaz, Christelle Taraud…

Each chapter is a deep dive into our prejudices; the authors use their extensive expertise to break down and understand each stereotype.

A vital book
The best way to fight prejudice is to know where it comes from, who is propagating it, and why it still occurs today. In an era of social media, communitarianism and conspiracy theories, dissecting stereotypes and prejudice is in the public interest.