From ‘dégage!’ to ‘dégagisme’: the travel of the political thinking of the Arab uprisings between Tunisia and France

The shout of the slogan ‘dégage!’ – ‘to clear’, release’ was central to language 2010-11 Tunisian revolution. In 2017, word appropriated and reinterpreted by French presidential candidate, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, transformed into political phenomenon ‘dégagisme’. following travel dégage from Tunisia France, this article demonstrates how thinking Arab uprisings intersects with spatio-historical differentiations orderings. I argue that meaning made in connections constitutive differences between metropole colony, West non-West. As rubbed against historical representations, it both worked reinforce contest such distinctions. turn, recapitulates our understanding present, connecting struggles presenting openings onto transnational solidarities.