Justice on Trial: The Dreyfus Affair and the Making of Modern France

Historian and author Alexander Mikaberidze explores the Dreyfus Affair, the case that profoundly shaped modern French political culture. Beginning with the wrongful conviction of Jewish army officer Alfred Dreyfus in 1894, he traces how the controversy exposed divisions over justice, authority, nationalism, religion, and citizenship. Mikaberidze highlights the role of antisemitism, Émile Zola and the rise of intellectual activism, and the political struggles that reshaped the French Republic, leaving a legacy for civil rights, press freedom, democratic accountability, and the rule of law.