Abstract
When assessing African relations to the imposition of French colonial rule in Africa, the terms 'resistance' and 'collaboration' are often used by English literature. They respectively designate the struggle against colonialism and the co-operation between the indigenous people and the colonizers. Nevertheless, the use of the terms 'resistance' and 'collaboration' is problematic for various reasons. It is important to point out that these terms are mainly used in English literature but they are very less used in the French one because of the strong link between these terms and the context of the Second World War on French territory. It is also useful to study the alternative words used by French literature instead of 'resistance' and 'collaboration'. These terms are problematic because they are always used in the singular way; or 'resistance' and 'collaboration' are complex phenomena which imply different actors, motives and means.
