Claire-Marie Brisson on Rediscovering French Roots in the American Rust Belt

Claire-Marie Brisson’s latest chapter, “The Francophonie is Here: French Language and Francophone Identity in the Rust Belt,” appears in the newly-published French All Around Us, Volume Two (TBR Books, 2025). The volume explores the dynamic presence of Francophone cultures across North America. In introducing her contribution, the editors highlight Brisson’s focus on the Rust Belt, a region shaped by post-industrial shifts, where reconnecting with French linguistic and cultural heritage fosters community renewal and intercultural dialogue. Her chapter presents the area as a living laboratory of reinvention, where language becomes a catalyst for resilience and belonging.