In an interview with N1's Nikola Vucic, journalist and researcher Dr Myriam François, whose career spans from academia to filmmaking and journalism, discussed how social structures shape our personal and collective struggles.

“We need to rethink the concept of ‘the personal is political’”, François said, referring to the famous feminist slogan from the 1970s.

However, according to her, this concept now requires a deeper interpretation, especially when addressing issues like racism, gender, or social injustice. François emphasized that theoretical education can provide important foundations, but real strength comes from lived experience:

“If society sees you as Black”, she explained, “your understanding of racism will be deeper because it will come from everyday reality, not just from books”.

François, who studied contemporary Islamic thought at Oxford, emphasized the importance of intellectual work, but also pointed out the limitations academia often imposes when personal experiences of marginalized groups are not considered.

“Solidarity shouldn’t remain within simple identity frameworks”, she elaborated. “We all exist simultaneously in various frameworks: I am a Muslim, a feminist, a woman, and a European”.

Through her work, François highlights the importance of understanding power dynamics, which is often crucial in discussions about identity politics.

In the interview, she also spoke about the importance of self-awareness:

“It’s about understanding the perspective from which we speak. For example, white men, who are often unaware of their power, reproduce hierarchies in conversations, not realizing they are speaking from a position of privilege”, Myriam François told N1.